Snack

October 14, 2021 Appetizer

Puking Pumpkin with Guacamole “Vomit”

Take your Halloween festivities to the next level with a delightfully disgusting puking pumpkin! This is a great centerpiece for your Halloween snack table, not to mention a fun way to serve a guacamole appetizer.

Close-up of a puking pumpkin with guacamole and tortilla chips

What’s So Great About This Recipe

It’s super fun, and a little gross – both perfect for Halloween! This is one that adults and kids alike will LOVE. Plus it’s a fun Halloween activity you can do with your kids (though you might want to handle the actual carving).
You can make a puking pumpkin as mild or as stomach-turning as you want! Instead of vomiting guacamole, your pumpkin could spew wrapped candies – much more chill. If you want to get really wild with it, the pumpkin could puke worms (spaghetti) and blood (tomato sauce). A taco dip with ground beef or even just a bean dip would work well, too – plus all those chunks and textures would be SO gross!
This guacamole appetizer goes really well with a batch of Halloween Monsteritas (cucumber and jalapeño margaritas). Talk about a perfect Halloween party spread!

What You’ll Need

Pumpkin – Any size, any color, any shape of pumpkin will work here! Don’t be afraid to get creative. Choose a size that matches your needs – for a large party and a lot of guac, you’ll want a larger pumpkin. Whatever size you choose, just make sure to get a pumpkin that’s relatively flat on the bottom so that it sits up well. You don’t want it to roll around and “vomit” guac all over the place.

Guacamole – Store-bought or homemade guacamole will both work for your puking pumpkin. You’ll want something that’s thicker, as opposed to an avocado salsa, so it holds a decent shape. Also, the chunkier the guacamole, the more visually interesting the whole arrangement will be!

Sharp Knife – Carving a pumpkin can be more difficult than it needs to be sometimes. One thing that makes a big difference is using the right tools. Make sure your knife is really sharp, and use a small, flat knife (like a paring knife) as opposed to a large knife. You’ll have better control over your cuts that way.

Chef’s Tips

If you want to use your puking pumpkin as a centerpiece or jack-o-lantern after the guac is gone, rub a little Vaseline (petroleum jelly) onto the cut-out edges of the face. Vaseline will help the edges stay fresh a little longer.
To make carving your pumpkin a little easier, use push pins! Draw your design (or place a stencil) on the side of the pumpkin. Then, insert push pins along the lines of your design, pressing hard enough to make holes in the pumpkin shell. Once you’ve done the whole design, it’s just a matter of connecting the dots with the knife!
I cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin to access the insides, but you can cut yours around the stem on top if you’d rather. I think it looks a little nicer without the cut seam around the top, and supposedly cutting the bottom instead of the top keeps the pumpkin fresher longer, too.

Angled puking pumpkin with guacamole on a plate surrounded by tortilla chips

Be Sure to Try These Pumpkin Recipes, Too!

We hope you loved this recipe as much as we did! We’d love for you to give us a star ★ rating below, and follow us on Instagram! For more delicious, healthy recipes, be sure to check out 40 Aprons.

Print Recipe

Puking Pumpkin with Guacamole “Vomit”

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time0 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: halloween, kid friendly, party food

Servings:

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Sharpie
Sharp knife (paring knife or other small knife)
Large metal spoon (or ice cream scoop)
Parchment paper or plate

Ingredients

1 pumpkin wiped clean, then dried
guacamole or other thick dip of choice
tortilla chips optional, for serving

Instructions

Using Sharpie (or similar marker), draw large circle on bottom of pumpkin, encircling center point. Circle should be big enough to allow your hand inside pumpkin.
Use sharp paring knife to cut along Sharpie circle, inserting knife deep enough to cut completely through bottom of pumpkin shell. Once entire circle is cut, remove center of shell and set aside.
Use large spoon to scoop out all seeds, strings, and guts from inside of pumpkin. Discards innards or set aside for another purpose. Continue scraping inner wall of side you intend to carve, until wall is roughly 1" thick.
Carve desired face into thinned side of pumpkin using sharp paring knife, following stencil or hand-drawn design of choice. Discard excess pieces from side of shell. Replace bottom circle of shell.
Set carved pumpkin on long sheet of parchment paper, or place large plate beneath carved mouth. Scoop guacamole onto parchment paper or plate, then build dip up and into pumpkin mouth, to give appearance of vomit. Serve with tortilla chips (or fresh veggies, or crostini).

Notes

Dip: If you don’t want to use guacamole, use an equally thick dip in its place. Something thin (like queso) won’t work here because it won’t hold any sort of shape without a container. You’ll end up with a huge mess! A taco dip with ground beef or even just a bean dip would work well, or you could just use wrapped candies for a less-gross version.
I highly recommend NOT trying to move the pumpkin once you’ve added the guacamole. If you’re using this as a centerpiece for a party or snack table, place the pumpkin where it needs to be first, then add the guacamole. Moving everything together is too risky.

Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes and the amount of guacamole used.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving of guacamole, not including any tortilla chips. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

August 31, 2021 Appetizer

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

This Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip is cheesy, delicious, and ready in just 20 minutes! It’s a quick and easy take on a comforting classic. Whip this easy recipe together for friends, family, or your next potluck!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It takes just 20 minutes to make! It’s the fastest method to creating this crowd-pleasing dip. I love throwing this quick recipe together when I’m entertaining, but am short on time.
It all comes together in the Instant Pot! Let’s face it, one pot meals are the best. And this Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip is no exception!
It’s creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor! Spicy hot sauce, zesty ranch dressing, and three (yes, three!) different kinds of cheese make this dip totally irresistible.

Key Ingredients

Hot Sauce – I prefer Frank’s Red Hot Sauce in my buffalo chicken recipes, though any hot sauce will work. You could even use a buffalo sauce instead if you’d like. If not using Frank’s, Tabasco or Cholula hot sauce are very similar and will yield delicious results.

Ranch Dressing – Ranch dressing not only adds to the creaminess of this dip, but to the flavor as well! It’s the perfect zesty and tangy addition to this recipe. If you prefer a thicker dip, then you can use a packet of ranch seasoning in place of the ranch dressing in this recipe.

Chef’s Tips

If you’re having trouble getting the cheese to melt in the last step, simply set your Instant Pot to sauté mode. This will reheat the Instant Pot and ensure all the cheese melts much quicker!
Aim to cover the chicken in hot sauce and ranch dressing before cooking. When the surface of the chicken is completely covered in sauce, it will soak up as much of that delicious flavor as possible. You can even give the ingredients a quick stir before securing the lid if you’d like!
For an even thicker dip, add an extra cup of cheddar cheese! Depending on your preferences, you may want to thicken this recipe up. Therefore, an extra cup or so of shredded cheese will do the trick.

overhead closeup image of instant pot buffalo chicken dip with sliced green onions on top

More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

This Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip is cheesy, delicious, and ready in just 20 minutes! It's a quick and easy take on a comforting classic. Whip this easy recipe together for friends, family, or your next potluck!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chips and dip, entertaining, potluck

Servings: servings

Calories: 390kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup hot sauce such as Frank's Hot Sauce
½ cup ranch dressing
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Place chicken in Instant Pot and cover with hot sauce, ranch dressing, and butter.
Cook on manual high pressure for 15 minutes, then quick release steam.
Remove lid, shred chicken with two forks, then add in the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Stir until cheese has melted.

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 6 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 6 using specific ingredients listed above. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

August 26, 2021 Appetizer

Instant Pot Cornbread

Buttery, dense, melt-in-your-mouth Instant Pot cornbread is an easy, steamed version of a classic Southern side. Whether your oven’s on the fritz or you just don’t feel like heating up the kitchen, the Instant Pot gives you perfectly “baked” cornbread that goes great with BBQ, black-eyed peas, spaghetti, and more.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

No packaged cornbread mix here! No, no. If you’re used to store-bought mixes, I’m begging you to trust me and give this one a try. You’ll never go back to the packaged stuff again.
This cornbread comes out incredibly buttery and moist. If you’re used to oven-baked cornbread that’s dry and a little crumbly, this won’t be exactly the same. It won’t have those crunchy, crisp edges, either. If that’s the kind of cornbread you’re looking for, try our Broccoli Cornbread (you can leave out the broccoli if you want).
You might be thinking “It’s way faster to cook cornbread in the oven, why would I use an Instant Pot??” That’s true. Oven-baked cornbread has a shorter cook time than Instant Pot cornbread. The benefits to using the pressure cooker? It won’t heat up your kitchen. You can use it on the road (like in an RV or a camper). It frees up the oven so you can cook something else in it while the cornbread “bakes”. Plus, the cornbread itself is different. The Instant Pot version is almost cake-like since it’s steamed bread.

Key Ingredients

Cornmeal – This is a must-have ingredient for good cornbread. You can use coarse, medium, or finely ground cornmeal here. Each one will change the texture slightly. Fine and medium grinds will give you the best texture, in my opinion. Coarse can make your cornbread kind of gritty or chunky. You could also try combining fine and medium grind cornmeals for a light cornbread with just a little of that coarse texture.

Buttermilk – Feel free to swap this out for your favorite kind of milk. If you use another kind, though, you’ll want to add a little lemon juice or vinegar to make up for the lower acidity. The acid in butter milk reacts to the baking powder to give your Instant Pot cornbread the perfect rise. Note that this will change the flavor of the cornbread a little, though.

All-Purpose Flour – If you’re looking for a gluten-free cornbread, you can use gluten-free all-purpose flour here. For an oven-baked gluten-free cornbread, try this recipe from our sister site, 40 Aprons.

Sugar – I know, I know. This is sacrilege to some of my fellow Southerners. I love a little sweetness to my cornbread, though! You can replace the granulated sugar with monk fruit or granular Swerve if you’d like a no-sugar-added cornbread. You can also just leave it out completely for a totally savory cornbread.

Chef’s Tips

A springform pan would be a great option if you have one small enough to fit in your Instant Pot. If you don’t have a springform pan that will work, any small round baking pan will do the trick.
If the Instant Pot cornbread sticks to the sides of the pan after cooling, just run a butter knife around the inside edge of the cornbread to loosen it. Place the wire baking rack face-down on top of the pan, then flip them both over in one smooth motion, so the cake pan is upside-down and the wire rack is face-up. Now you should be able to wiggle and lift the pan away from the cornbread.
You can add corn kernels (fresh or thawed), diced jalapeños, cheese, or other ingredients to your Instant Pot cornbread batter if you want! And if you’ve got leftovers, you can turn them into a delicious cornbread salad.

Be Sure to Try These Instant Pot Recipes, Too!

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Cornbread

Buttery, dense, melt-in-your-mouth Instant Pot cornbread is an easy, steamed version of a classic Southern side. Whether your oven's on the fritz or you just don't feel like heating up the kitchen, the Instant Pot gives you perfectly "baked" cornbread that goes great with BBQ, black-eyed peas, spaghetti, and more.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Cool Time5 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pressure cooker, Southern food, spaghetti night

Servings: pieces of cornbread

Calories: 317kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Instant Pot cake pan (or round baking pan that fits)
Cooking spray
Large bowl (2)
Whisk (2)
Aluminum foil
Instant Pot
Instant Pot trivet
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

2 large eggs at room temperature
1 ½ cups buttermilk at room temperature
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour see Notes
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup granulated sugar see Notes
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup water for the Instant Pot
honey optional, to serve
butter optional, to serve

Instructions

Spray Instant Pot cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In large bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter, until combined. Set aside.
In other large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Slowly pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients, whisking constantly to combine.
Pour batter into greased cake pan. Cover pan with foil.
Pour water into Instant Pot. Place covered cake pan on Instant Pot trivet and lower trivet into Instant Pot.
Secure lid with valve in Sealing position. Cook on Manual High Pressure for 50 minutes. When time is up, let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release to let out remaining pressure.
Carefully remove trivet and cake pan from Instant Pot. Place cake pan on wire cooling rack and let cool uncovered 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove cornbread from cake pan. Serve with honey and butter, if desired.

Notes

Make it Added-Sugar Free: Use granular Swerve or monk fruit.
Make it Gluten Free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Instant Pot: This recipe was tested and perfected using a 6-quart Instant Pot. If using a smaller or larger pressure cooker, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe or cook time. A smaller pressure cooker will mean less batter; less batter will need a shorter cook time.

Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including honey or butter for serving. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

August 24, 2021 Breakfast

Keto English Muffin

A keto English muffin might just be the easiest keto recipe you’ll ever make! This single-serve recipe gives you a buttery, rich English muffin, baked right in the microwave and then toasted to perfection. Gluten free and easy to make paleo!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This keto English muffin recipe seriously could not be any easier! I’ve generously listed the prep and cook time as 5 minutes each, but honestly, you’ll probably be ready to sit down and eat in less than 5 minutes total.
The convenient single-serve portion makes tracking macros even easier. Don’t feel like “baking” a muffin every day? The muffins actually refrigerate and reheat well, so if you want to make up a few at a time, you can! Refrigerate them in an airtight container up to 3 days.
They’re super versatile! This recipe has a pretty neutral flavor, so it goes well with a lot of things. Top it with an easy hollandaise sauce, butter, or homemade sugar free jam for a too-good-to-be-true keto breakfast or brunch dish. You could also use this as the “bread” for a breakfast sandwich or even for a burger!

Key Ingredients

Almond Flour – Use a blanched almond flour that’s very fine, so your keto English muffins always come out perfectly, buttery soft, never grainy. I haven’t tried this recipe without almond flour, and I’m not entirely sure it would work without it. If you’d like a keto bread with no almond flour, though, try the bread from our keto grilled cheese or keto French toast recipes.

Coconut Flour – This is a thirsty flour that requires a fair bit of liquid. I haven’t tried making this recipe without it yet. If you want to try leaving out the coconut flour, you’ll likely need to add at least 2 additional tablespoons of almond flour to make up the difference.

Chef’s Tips

For a lighter, fluffier English muffin, use only the white of one egg, instead of one whole egg. It’ll taste a little less eggy that way, too
I find that the keto English muffin releases from the ramekin more easily if I run a butter knife or silicone spatula around the inner edge of the dish first. Place a plate upside down on top of the ramekin, then flip everything over at the same time and give the bottom of the ramekin a tap or two. The muffin should slide right out onto the plate.
Feel free to play around with the flavors in this recipe! As-is, this would give you a “plain” or “regular” keto English muffin. You could add a little cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, Everything But the Bagel seasoning, or even a little garlic and onion powder.

More Keto Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Keto English muffin, sliced in half, buttered, and set on a plate with a butter knife to the right.

Print Recipe

Keto English Muffin (Gluten Free)

A keto English muffin might just be the easiest keto recipe you'll ever make! This single-serve recipe gives you a buttery, rich English muffin, baked right in the microwave and then toasted to perfection. Gluten free and easy to make paleo!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: English, Keto

Keyword: 15 minutes, easy to make, microwave recipe

Servings:

Calories: 270kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Microwave-safe ramekin or ceramic mug
Microwave
Toaster or toaster oven

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 egg
2 ½ tablespoons almond flour
½ tablespoon coconut flour
1 pinch salt

Instructions

Place butter in ramekin. Microwave in short bursts, stirring between each, until butter is completely melted.
Add egg to melted butter. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Slowly stir in remaining ingredients one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each ingredient. Mixture should be smooth with few lumps.
Return ramekin to microwave. Microwave mixture 90 seconds on full power, or until firm.
Let cool slightly, then remove english muffin from ramekin. Slice in half (like a hamburger bun) then toast to preference. Serve with keto-friendly jelly, sugar free syrup, an easy hollandaise sauce, or butter.

Notes

Make it Paleo: Use ghee instead of butter.

Recipe yields 1 keto English muffin. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 muffin. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used, as well as portion sizes.

Nutrition

July 22, 2021 Keto

Baked Keto Empanadas

These keto empanadas are a perfect low carb snack or meal. A cheesy, flaky keto crust folded around savory seasoned ground beef and sautéed veggies, then baked to perfection. Even the carb-eaters in your family will love these low carb empanadas!

keto empanadas, torn open to show filling

What Makes This Recipe So Good

They’re delicious! The keto empanada dough gets nice and crisp, and the ground beef filling is full of flavor from the veggies and taco seasoning.
They’re super easy to make! All of the ingredients are pretty typical pantry staples if you’re following keto, so you may even have everything you need to make these right now.
Keto empanadas can be a make-ahead recipe of sorts. Make the filling and the dough, then store them separately, each in its own airtight container. Refrigerate them up to 24 hours, then when you’re ready to cook them, let the filling come to room temperature. After that you can finish the recipe out as written!

Key Ingredients

Ground Beef – You could swap this out with ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken if you want!

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – Keto pro-tip: use a fresh mozzarella and grate it/shred it yourself. The prepackaged stuff is convenient, but they usually contain fillers and anti-caking agents to prevent clumping. The downside to those add-ins? Unnecessary carbs.

Almond Flour – We haven’t tested this recipe with any other low carb flours, so we can’t recommend any substitutions here. If you try any, let us know how it goes!

Xanthan Gum – I tried making these without adding xanthan gum and it just didn’t work. Don’t skip it!

Chef’s Tips

The keto empanada dough can be kind of sticky. If you have trouble with it sticking to your hands when you press the discs, try pressing it under a layer of parchment paper. You could also refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or so.
If you’d like even crispier keto empanadas, you can pan-fry them in a neutral oil, like avocado or olive oil. OR, for a lighter alternative, use our air fryer empanada method!
These empanadas freeze really well! You can prepare the entire recipe as written, but don’t bake the empanadas right away. Instead, place the baking sheet of sealed empanadas in the freezer for an hour or so to let them set up. After that, you can transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the freezer up to 3 months. You can bake them from frozen for a super easy, effortless meal!

Other Keto Recipes You’ll Love

Print Recipe

Baked Keto Empanadas

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Latin, Mexican, Spanish

Keyword: hand pies, low carb, no added sugar

Servings: empanadas

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Oven
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Large pan
Spatula or large spoon
Large, microwave-safe bowl
Silicone spatula
Disher or cookie scoop with release handle
Fork
Basting brush

Ingredients

For the Empanada Filling

1 tablespoon butter
½ pound ground beef
½ of one yellow onion chopped
½ of one green bell pepper chopped
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup water

For the Empanada Dough

3 cups shredded mozzarella
2 ounces cream cheese
2 large eggs
1 ¾ cups almond flour
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum

For the Egg Wash

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In large pan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add ground beef and cook until browned, approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Drain ground beef, then add onions and bell peppers. Cook until vegetables are soft.
Add taco seasoning, tomato paste, and water. Stir until combined, then cook until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Place shredded cheese and cream cheese in large bowl. Microwave 1 minute, then stir and microwave one additional minute.
Stir in eggs, almond flour, salt, and xanthan gum. Mix until dough forms.
Use disher or cookie scoop to scoop dough into 12 balls. Flatten each ball into discs, each approximately ¼-inch thick.
Dollop 1-3 tablespoons of filling into center of each dough disc, being careful not to overfill.
Fold top edge of dough disc over filling to meet bottom edge of dough, forming a half moon shape. Press edges together with tines of fork or pinch to seal. Place folded empanada on baking sheet and repeat until all empanadas are folded in half. Lightly brush outside of empanadas with egg wash.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown outside and cooked through. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Notes

Yellow Onion: Some strict keto-followers don’t eat onion since it’s not technically keto-friendly, but some keto-followers do use it. Totally fine! You can skip it in this recipe if you want, and it’ll save you a carb or so overall.
Green Bell Peppers: Green peppers have fewer carbs than red, yellow, and orange ones. To shave off another carb overall, you can leave out the bell pepper if you want.
Shredded Cheese: Use fresh mozzarella and shred it yourself to avoid the extra fillers (and carbs) that are in pre-shredded cheese!
Tomato Paste: Use an organic tomato paste with no added sugar. The only sugars should come from the tomatoes themselves.

Recipe yields approximately 12 empanadas. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 empanada using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

July 13, 2021 Breakfast

Vegan Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

Gorgeous and delicious, this vegan coffee cake is perfectly decadent. With a layer of rich cinnamon brown sugar sandwiched between two layers of fluffy, moist cake, it’s all topped with a crumbled streusel topping and sweet glaze for a perfect dairy-free, egg-free treat.

Two squares of vegan coffee cake stacked on top of each other

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Move over, Starbucks. The actual cake is SO incredibly moist and fluffy, and the crumbled streusel topping bakes up crisp and gives it just the right amount of texture. You’ll fall in love with the way this cake melts in your mouth.
It’s decadent enough for a special occasion or holiday, but simple enough to be a casual weekday treat. Enjoy it in the morning with a cup of coffee or after dinner to satisfy your sweet tooth.
This cake is perfect for a variety of dietary needs! Since it’s a vegan recipe, it’s written to be completely free from dairy and eggs. It’s also easy to make gluten free and added-sugar free, too!

Key Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour – For a vegan coffee cake that’s also gluten free, use gluten-free all-purpose flour. If your GF flour doesn’t contain xanthan gum, you’ll want to add a little so the texture is right. ½-¾ teaspoon added to the 3 cups of flour in the cake should do the trick. If your GF flour contains xanthan gum already, don’t add any extra!

Sugars – This recipe calls for 4 different sugars: granulated white sugar, brown sugar, light brown sugar, and powdered sugar. You can make it your own, though! Use brown sugar instead of granulated in the cake for a richer, warmer flavor. To cut back on the added sugars, use coconut sugar or Swerve (granular, Brown, and/or confectioners’) where appropriate.

Chef’s Tips

Like with most baked goods, the coffee cake will continue to bake a little as it cools, so it’s important that you don’t leave it in the oven too long. Bake times will vary from one oven to another and one altitude to another, so I recommend you start checking the doneness of the coffee cake around 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick or butter knife into the center of the cake – if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s time to take the cake out of the oven!
This vegan coffee cake will keep best if you refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container. You’ll get up to 2 weeks out of it that way, assuming it even lasts that long! If you want to store it at room temperature, an airtight container is still the way to go. It should keep 3-5 days at room temp if stored properly.
As written, this recipe is nut free, depending on the type of non-dairy milk you use. If you’d like, though, you can add finely chopped walnuts to the streusel topping for a little crunch and extra flavor!
For a vegan blueberry coffee cake, just fold ¾-1 cup fresh blueberries into the coffee cake mixture before you portion it into the baking dish.
To make vegan coffee cake muffins instead, line a muffin tin with paper liners and portion the recipe out as written – one layer of cake, the brown sugar-cinnamon filling, another layer of cake, then the streusel topping. They’ll need less time to bake, probably 15-20 minutes or so, up to 25 minutes depending on your oven. I’d start checking the doneness around minute 12 using the toothpick method. Take them out of the oven when they’re ready and finish the recipe as written below.

Squares of vegan coffee cake on a white plate

More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love

One square of vegan coffee cake close up

Print Recipe

Vegan Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

Gorgeous and delicious, this vegan coffee cake is perfectly decadent. With a layer of rich cinnamon brown sugar sandwiched between two layers of fluffy, moist cake, it's all topped with a crumbled streusel topping and sweet glaze for a perfect dairy-free, egg-free treat.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free, egg free, holiday recipe

Servings: squares

Calories: 398kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Oven
9×13 baking dish
Parchment paper
Small bowls (2)
Hand mixer
Large bowls (2)
Whisk (3)

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

¾ packed cup brown sugar see Notes
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Fo the Streusel Topping

6 tablespoons vegan butter
1 packed cup light brown sugar see Notes
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Coffee Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar see Notes
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup coconut oil melted
1 ¾ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the Glaze (Optional)

¼ cup powdered sugar see Notes
1 tablespoon unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
In small bowl, mix together brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon to create cinnamon-sugar filling. Set aside.
In separate small bowl, use hand mixer to mix together butter, light brown sugar, and all-purpose flour to create streusel topping. Set aside.
In large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients for coffee cake: applesauce, vanilla extract, coconut oil, non-dairy milk, and apple cider vinegar. Let mixture sit 5 minutes.
In separate large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for coffee cake: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
When 5 minutes is up, slowly pour wet ingredients for coffee cake into large bowl with dry ingredients for coffee cake. Mix until ingredients are just combined.
Pour half of coffee cake mixture into lined baking dish. Add cinnamon-sugar filling to top of cake mixture, distributing evenly edge to edge.
Pour remaining coffee cake mixture on top of cinnamon-sugar filling layer. Crumble streusel topping over top of cake batter.
Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake 30-35 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center of cake should come out clean or with very few crumbs.
Remove baked coffee cake from oven and let cool completely in baking dish. While cake cools, whisk together all ingredients for glaze, if desired.
When cake is cool, drizzle glaze over top of cake. Cut coffee cake into squares and serve.

Notes

Sugar: Some sugar is filtered through bone char, which makes it not vegan. Use organic or unfiltered sugar, or a brand that specifically says it’s vegan.
Make it Added-Sugar Free: Use granular, Brown, and confectioners’ Swerve in place of the respective sugars listed above.
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum.

1 square = 1 serving. Recipe yields approximately 16 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on the size of your squares and your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 16 using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

July 8, 2021 Air Fryer

Air Fryer Okra

Easy air fryer fried okra is a lighter version of a classic Southern side dish. Fresh okra is battered in a seasoned cornmeal mixture then air fried until golden and crispy for a perfect quick snack or side that’ll please any crowd.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Fried okra is a Southern staple! This air fryer version is every bit as good as the deep fried classic, but without the actual deep frying. The okra comes out light, crispy, and delicious.
The breading is perfectly seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, and a little cayenne pepper to add the right amount of flavor to every bite.
It’s such an easy recipe! Once you’ve got the hang of breading the okra, everything goes really quickly. Whip this up whenever you want a healthier crunchy snack or an easy side dish for BBQ chicken or pulled pork.

Key Ingredients

Okra – Use fresh okra and cut away the stems and tips, then slice the remaining okra into ½-to-1-inch-thick slices. You can also use frozen cut okra – just make sure to thaw it first, then pat it completely dry before breading it. Too much moisture will keep the batter from sticking, and the okra will be slimy.

Cornmeal – If you don’t have cornmeal, you can use just flour, but the cornmeal adds a texture and crispiness you won’t get from the flour alone.

Cayenne Pepper – If you’re not a fan of anything spicy, you can leave the cayenne pepper out of the breading. I really love the flavor boost it adds, though! You could also use smoked paprika instead of or with the cayenne pepper.

Chef’s Tips

Be sure to use a cooking spray that’s safe for air fryers! Anything aerosolized (like PAM) contains harsh ingredients that can damage the coating on your air fryer basket. Avocado oil and light olive oil have a high smoke point that makes them perfect for the air fryer.
For even crispier air fryer okra, lightly spray the okra with cooking spray twice – once before you put them in the air fryer, then again when you shake the basket after the first 6 minutes. Depending on your air fryer and your preferences, one spray may be perfect for you.
This method works for frozen breaded okra, too. Since it’s already battered, just skip all those steps and go straight to the air fryer! 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking once halfway through, will give you even easier air fryer frozen okra.

Air fryer okra in a bowl of lemon garlic aioli

More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

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Air Fryer Okra

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthier option, Southern food, summer recipes

Servings:

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Air Fryer
Medium bowls (2)

Ingredients

¾ cup cornmeal
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
⅓ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs beaten
1 pound fresh okra cut into ½-to-1-inch-thick slices and patted dry
air-fryer-safe cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit.
Mix together cornmeal, all-purpose flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl.
Dip okra slices in beaten eggs, coating both sides. Let excess egg drip off okra back into bowl, then dredge okra in cornmeal mixture, coating both sides. Tap okra against side of bowl to remove excess cornmeal. Repeat until all okra slices are battered.
Place battered okra in air fryer basket in one even layer, being careful not to overcrowd basket. Work in batches as needed. Spray okra liberally with air-fryer-safe cooking spray, then place basket in air fryer.
Cook 6 minutes, then gently shake basket and cook additional 6 minutes, or until okra is golden brown and crispy. Transfer to plate and cook remaining okra slices. Serve with lemon-garlic aioli, if desired.

Notes

Work in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding air fryer basket.
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour. Make sure your cornmeal is labelled “gluten free” to avoid cross-contamination.

For the Lemon-Garlic Aioli (optional)

Ingredients

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to smooth.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 4, using the ingredients listed. Nutritional values do not include information for lemon-garlic aioli. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

July 6, 2021 Dairy-Free

Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts

These Instant Pot boiled peanuts are a healthy and delicious savory snack! This foolproof method yields perfectly cooked peanuts with hardly any effort. Easily cook up a batch of these peanuts at the start of your week and enjoy this nutritious snack all week long!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s seriously the easiest boiled peanuts method out there! Chuck everything in the Instant Pot, then leave it to do all the hard work. Return to perfectly soft and savory peanuts every time.
They’re an incredibly healthy snack! Boiled peanuts are proven to have nearly four times more antioxidants than other peanuts. So the next time you need a delicious but good-for-you snack, I highly recommend you give this recipe a try!
They’re perfectly savory with the right amount of salt to balance out the natural sweetness of the peanuts. I will warn you, this snack is highly addictive, though lucky for you it’s healthy too!

Key Ingredients

Peanuts – You can make this recipe using either dried or undried peanuts. I unfortunately do not have access to undried peanuts, so I used dried peanuts and they still turned out delicious! The most important thing when selecting your peanuts is that they have the shell on, are raw and do not contain any salt. All of these things will equate to perfect, ready-for-boiling peanuts!

Salt – Feel free to adjust the salt based on your preferences. However, boiled peanuts are traditionally rather salty and this Instant Pot recipe is no exception. If you prefer a less salty nut, reduce the amount of salt by as little as half!

Chef’s Tips

Be patient and allow the steam to naturally release from these Instant Pot boiled peanuts! Once the 80 minutes it up, the pot will take about 20 minutes to naturally release all of its steam. You’ll know the lid is ready to be removed once the pressure valve has dropped down to its starting position.
You can easily half this recipe if you’d like! This makes quite a few peanuts, so if you’re looking for a small batch simply use half a pound of peanuts instead. If using half a pound of peanuts, then use just 1/4 cup of salt.
Strain these Instant Pot boiled peanuts from their water and store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the fridge for up to one week. You can enjoy these hot, at room temperature, or cold – really however you’d like!

close up image of instant pot boiled peanuts in a bowl

More Simple Instant Pot Recipes

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Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts

These Instant Pot boiled peanuts are a healthy and delicious savory snack! This foolproof method yields perfectly cooked peanuts with hardly any effort. Easily cook up a batch of these Instant Pot boiled peanuts at the start of your week and enjoy this nutritious snack all week long!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time1 hr 20 mins

Total Time1 hr 25 mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy snack, healthy, instant pot recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 pound peanuts raw, shelled, and unsalted
½ cup salt
water

Instructions

Rinse peanuts well under cold water then add to the Instant Pot along with the salt and fill with enough water to cover peanuts.
Place trivet inside Instant Pot and place a heatproof bowl over the top to hold it down. Cover with lid and set to high pressure for 80 minutes.
Allow pressure to release naturally before removing lid.

Notes

The Instant Pot pictured above is a 6 quart Instant Pot, be careful not to fill your Instant Pot beyond the max fill line.

Recipe yields approximately 12 servings. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 12. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

July 1, 2021 Appetizer

Roasted Chili Corn Salsa

Roasted chili corn salsa is a homemade take on a popular restaurant side dish. With sweet corn, red onion, roasted peppers, and bright lime juice, this zesty, refreshing salsa goes great with burrito bowls, tacos, or a helping of tortilla chips.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

If you love the roasted chili corn salsa from Chipotle, then you’re in luck! This homemade copycat is every bit as good as the real deal! You could even pair it with this Chipotle sofritas copycat for a whole Chipotle-at-home dinner.
Roasted chili corn salsa is a little sweet, a little zesty, and a lot of delicious. Don’t worry if you don’t like heat – this one is actually pretty mild.
You can serve this as a salsa with tortilla chips, on top of nachos, wrapped up in a burrito, as a side with carne asada, or mixed into a Southwestern salad. It adds so much flavor and texture to any dish!

Key Ingredients

Corn – We’re using frozen corn here, and that’s what Chipotle uses, too. You can use fresh if you prefer, though. We used a mixture of white and yellow corn for variety, but you can use whichever you like or can find.

Poblano Pepper – This recipe gets the “roasted chili” part of its name right here. The roasted poblano pepper. Roasting the pepper under the broiler (or over an open flame on a gas stove) brings out its delicious smokey flavor which adds this amazing depth to the salsa. If poblanos aren’t your thing, you could use bell peppers instead.

Chef’s Tips

I highly recommend letting the salsa sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors develop as it sits, making it even more delicious.
You can use thawed, uncooked frozen corn, like we did here, or you can cook it first if you like! Just follow the instructions on the package, then let the corn cool completely before using it in your roasted chili corn salsa. You can also roast it first for a slightly different flavor. Just toss the thawed kernels in a little neutral oil and bake them at 375° Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
The easiest way to remove the skin from the poblano pepper is to cover the pepper with a bowl or plastic wrap as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let the steam build for 10 minutes or so, then use a paper towel or gloves and gently rub off the charred skin.

Other Delicious Sides You’ll Enjoy

Print Recipe

Roasted Chili Corn Salsa

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chipotle, chips and dip, roasted vegetables

Servings:

Calories: 81kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Broiler
Small baking sheet
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Large bowl

Ingredients

1 large poblano pepper
10 ounces frozen corn thawed
1 jalapeño seeds removed, finely chopped
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
½ of one red onion diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon cumin
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Instructions

Turn broiler on and set to high if it has multiple settings. Place poblano pepper on baking sheet and set under broiler. Broil pepper, turning every minute or so, until charred outside. Note: if you have a gas range, you can char the pepper over an open flame instead.
Transfer charred pepper from baking sheet to cutting board. Remove charred skin (see Notes), stem, and seeds. Chop remaining pepper into fine pieces.
In large bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients, including chopped poblano pepper. Serve immediately, or cover and chill at least 30 minutes, then serve.

Notes

Poblano Pepper: The easiest way to remove the skin from the poblano pepper is to cover the pepper with a bowl or plastic wrap as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let the steam build for 10 minutes or so, then use a paper towel or gloves and gently rub off the charred skin.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 4 using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

June 29, 2021 Air Fryer

Frozen Burritos in the Air Fryer

Cooking frozen burritos in the air fryer is the best way to get delicious, perfect frozen burritos! The air fryer gives you much better results than the microwave in less time than the oven. You’ll never cook frozen burritos any other way again!

Frozen burritos cooked in the air fryer topped with pico, guacamole, and sour cream

What Makes Frozen Burritos in the Air Fryer So Good

If you’ve ever cooked a frozen burrito in the microwave, you know they come out alright. They’re hot and delicious, sure, but they can be a little… soggy. Or they might not cook evenly, so one spot is REALLY hot and one spot is still practically frozen. Or parts of the tortilla dry out and get really tough. You get the picture. The point is, the air fryer completely takes care of all of those issues, leaving you with perfectly cooked, hot, crispy burritos.
This method is so simple. I mean, couldn’t be any simpler if you tried. You don’t even have to thaw them first! Just place the frozen burritos in the air fryer and fry them for 13-15 minutes. That’s it.

Key Ingredients for Frozen Burritos in the Air Fryer

Frozen Burritos – Use your favorite frozen burritos! This air fryer method works for any brand and any type.

Toppings of Choice – A great way to dress up your frozen burritos is to add your favorite toppings! Sour cream, queso, salsa, guacamole dip, pico de gallo – whatever you want!

Chef’s Tips

The first rule of air frying is to place your food in a single, flat layer, without overlapping. Overlapping will keep the air from circulating like it needs to, and parts of your burritos will be undercooked. If your air fryer is on the small side, that may mean you need to work in multiple batches, depending on the number of frozen burritos you’re cooking.
If you like your burritos extra crispy or your food tends to stick to your air fryer basket, you can lightly spray the basket with air-fryer-safe spray oil before you cook the burritos. Totally optional!

Other Air Fryer Recipes You Simply Have to Try

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Frozen Burritos in the Air Fryer

Cooking frozen burritos in the air fryer is the best way to get delicious, perfect frozen burritos! The air fryer gives you much better results than the microwave in less time than the oven. You'll never cook frozen burritos any other way again!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy meals, frozen foods, taco tuesday

Servings: burritos

Calories: 310kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

air-fryer-safe spray oil
2-4 frozen burritos
toppings of choice

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit.
When preheated, lightly spray air fryer basket with spray oil if desired to prevent sticking. Place frozen burritos in air fryer basket.
Return air fryer basket to air fryer. Cook frozen burritos 13 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time.
Remove frozen burritos from air fryer. Garnish with toppings of choice and serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe works for any type or brand of frozen burrito. If cooking multiple burritos, be sure to place them in the basket in one flat layer, without overlapping.

Number of servings will depend on number of burritos cooked and desired portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 El Monterey Beef & Bean Burrito. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition