Dairy-Free

April 6, 2021 Asian

Spicy Chicken Ramen

This spicy chicken ramen is the perfect, simple meal when you’re craving something cozy! It’s deliciously savory, subtly spicy, and incredibly comforting. With just a few simple ingredients and steps you’ll have a restaurant-quality bowl of ramen in under 20 minutes.

What Makes This Spicy Chicken Ramen So Good

This spicy chicken ramen is loaded with flavor in every bite! Fresh ginger, soy sauce, and mirin give this recipe a delicious Asian-inspired taste.
It has the perfect amount of spice. There is just enough sriracha in this recipe to give this ramen a kick without overpowering all of the other incredible flavors. Though you can totally customize this recipe to your liking and add as much or as little sriracha as you’d like!
It’s simple yet super satisfying. Spicy chicken ramen is my go-to comfort meal, there’s just something about this warming soup that will make you feel so cozy.

Key Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Ramen

Fresh Ginger – Make sure your ginger is fresh for this recipe! Fresh ginger contributes to the subtle spice in this dish. Be sure to remove the skin from your ginger before grating and using in this recipe. It is also very important that you grate your ginger as apposed to chopping it. Grated ginger gives this ramen delicious ginger flavor while avoiding large chunks of ginger throughout the soup.

Mirin – Mirin is a type of rice wine that is slightly sweeter than rice vinegar. If you can’t find mirin, you can substitute it with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Sriracha – This is what makes our spicy chicken ramen spicy! Again, feel free to use as much or as little sriracha as you’d like in this recipe. I prefer making this recipe as instructed and then allowing others to add a drizzle of extra sriracha on top of their ramen, if they’d like.

Spicy Chicken Ramen

Chef’s Tips

Be very careful not to overcook your ramen noodles. Ramen typically takes just 1 to 2 minutes to cook completely. I advise even undercooking your noodles slightly since they will continue to cook once served in the warm spicy chicken ramen broth.
If shredding chicken is a bit too laborious for you, you can dice it into one-inch cubes instead. Follow the steps in the recipe to boil the chicken in the broth, then remove it and let it cool slightly before chopping. Once all of your chicken is chopped, add it back into the ramen broth and continue with the recipe.
In the event that you have leftovers (you probably won’t, it’s that delicious), you will wanted to store the ramen noodles separately from the chicken broth. If the noodles are left to sit in the broth in the fridge, they will quickly become mushy and inedible. Therefore, store each part of this spicy chicken ramen separately and heat up individually before constructing a bowl of leftovers.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Delicious Soup Recipes

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Spicy Chicken Ramen

This spicy chicken ramen is the perfect, simple meal when you're craving something cozy! It's deliciously savory, subtly spicy, and incredibly comforting. With just a few simple ingredients and steps you'll have a restaurant-quality bowl of ramen in under 20 minutes.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: asian-inspired, soup, takeout

Servings:

Calories: 492kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

2 (two) large pots

Ingredients

1 inch fresh ginger grated, see Notes
3 garlic cloves grated, see Notes
8 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
9 ounces ramen noodles see Notes for gluten-free option
2 boiled eggs
½ cup scallions sliced
3 nori sheets torn in half
½ cup sliced bamboo shoots

Instructions

Add the ginger, garlic, chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, and sriracha to a large pot over medium-high heat.
Once boiling, add in the chicken breast, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook ramen noodles for 1-2 minutes or until al dente. Strain noodles and divide equally between four bowls.
Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks, then return to pot and remove from heat.
Top noodles with chicken and broth along with boiled eggs, sliced bamboo shoots, nori, and scallions.

Notes

Ginger & Garlic: To grate the ginger and garlic, remove the skins and then run them along a microplane or fine grater.
Make it Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and rice noodles instead of ramen noodles.

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

April 1, 2021 Dairy-Free

Steamed Cauliflower

Steamed cauliflower is an easy way to get perfectly tender cauliflower florets in no time at all. A drizzle of olive oil and a little herbs and lemon zest take it to another level. Low calorie, low carb, and full of fiber and antioxidants.

What Makes This Steamed Cauliflower So Good

A drizzle of olive oil and a little salt, fresh herbs, and lemon zest take this cauliflower from bland to delectable in no time at all.
Cauliflower is naturally low calorie, low in carbs, and high in fiber, which is great if you’re following a specifically low carb or ketogenic way of eating, or if you’re just watching what you eat in general!
It’s super easy to make, which is great for busy nights when you don’t really feel like cooking, or busy meal prep days when you have a lot on your plate (literally!)
Speaking of meal prep, you can refrigerate steamed cauliflower in an airtight container up to 5 days, so it’s a great make-ahead option!

Steamed Cauliflower

Key Ingredients for Steamed Cauliflower

Cauliflower – This not-too-distant cousin of cabbage and broccoli is full of fiber and antioxidants that your body will love. It’s blown up in popularity in the last few years because it’s a great, carb-friendly alternative to starchy foods like potatoes and rice. You’ve probably heard of cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, or even cauliflower pizza crust. Does cauliflower taste like rice or potatoes? Not really, no. But for a lot of people, it’s a workable alternative!

Olive Oil – Olive oil compliments the natural flavor of the cauliflower, herbs, and lemon zest without detracting or overpowering. Plus it’s a great source of healthy fats, and it’s got a solid amount of antioxidants, too.

Chef’s Tips

Fresh cauliflower will you give you the best flavor and texture! I definitely recommend it here over frozen!
You can use a metal or silicone steaming basket for this recipe.
What’s the best way to cut a head of cauliflower into florets? Easy! Remove the leaves from the head, then cut around the large stem to remove it. The cauliflower will break apart, and from there you can keep breaking or cutting it into smaller florets. Cut off any large stems from the florets
For a twist, stop after step 4 of this recipe and use your steamed cauliflower to make our Cauliflower Chips.
Looking for a hands-off way to steam cauliflower? Check out our post on Instant Pot Cauliflower.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.

Our recipes are not necessarily low fat or low calorie, and we aren’t afraid of fat or carbs! Some of our recipes will be “skinny,” low carb, keto, paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free, Whole30, or vegan, and they will be labeled when they qualify for any of these diets. All our recipes are easy and family friendly!

Olive oil poured onto a bowl of steamed cauliflower

More Basics You’ll Be Glad You Know

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Steamed Cauliflower

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Basics, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free, gluten-free, low carb

Servings:

Calories: 198kcal

Equipment

Saucepan
Steamer basket
Fork
Large bowl

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
½ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3-4 tablespoons fresh herbs chopped, optional
1 teaspoon lemon zest optional

Instructions

Chop cauliflower into florets.
Add water to saucepan, then place steamer basket in saucepan and bring water to boil over high heat. Note: The surface of the water should be just under the bottom of your steamer basket.
Once water starts boiling, add cauliflower to steamer basket. Reduce heat to medium.
Steam 10 minutes or until tender and can be easily pierced with fork.
Remove cauliflower from steamer basket and transfer to large bowl. Drizzle olive oil onto cauliflower, then add salt, herbs, and lemon zest. Toss to coat, then serve.

Notes

We used fresh parsley for the herbs this time around, but you can use any herbs you like, or skip them altogether!
Cook times will vary slightly based on the size and thickness of your florets, and how fresh your cauliflower is. The fork method is the best test of tenderness.

Recipe yields approximately 2 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one serving of chicken cordon bleu casserole. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the sauce is in) by 6. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

March 30, 2021 Dairy-Free

Vegan Key Lime Pie

This vegan key lime pie is irresistibly creamy, slightly sour, and not too sweet! It’s the perfect dessert to bring to your next spring or summer gathering. Everyone will love it and no one will ever know how much healthier it is!

What Makes This Vegan Key Lime Pie Recipe So Good

It’s the perfect balance between tangy and sweet! Sour key lime juice is perfectly complimented by a subtly sweet can of sweetened condensed coconut milk. This recipe keeps the sugars low, but the flavors intense.
Coconut milk makes it lighter yet just as creamy as traditional key lime pie. Though the key lime juice is very strong, therefore you will barely taste any coconut!
It’s surprisingly simple to make! The crust alone is just two ingredients, and the filling is just five ingredients. A few easy steps and some time in the refrigerator is all it takes to make this delicious vegan treat.

Key Ingredients for Key Lime Pie

Vegan Graham Crackers – Most graham crackers are already vegan! Take a look at the ingredients on the back of a graham cracker box and there’s a very good chance they’ll be unintentionally vegan.

Full-Fat Coconut Milk – Make sure to use full-fat coconut milk in this vegan key lime pie recipe. The extra thickness from a can of full-fat coconut milk with make your pie oh-so creamy!

Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk – The only sugar in this recipe comes from the sweetened condensed coconut milk. I’ve been able to find sweetened condensed coconut milk at most of my local grocery stores. If you’re having a hard time locating it, try looking around baking supplies and/or canned coconut milk.

Key Lime Juice – You can either purchase key limes from the store and juice them yourself, or buy key lime juice in a bottle. For ease, I used bottled key lime juice and made a delicious pie! And if you can’t find key limes or key lime juice, you can use regular lime juice instead.

Cornstarch – Since this recipe doesn’t contain the typical dairy ingredients found in regular key lime pie, we need cornstarch to help this pie set. Make sure to stir your filling really well after you’ve added all ingredients to a saucepan. If you see any cornstarch lumps left behind, keep stirring and cooking, they’ll eventually dissolve.

Vegan Key Lime Pie

Chef’s Tips

Be patient when waiting for your vegan key lime pie to set in the fridge. Do not try to slice it before it’s fully set! If your pie isn’t left to chill long enough, the filling will spill out when served.
If you don’t have a pie dish, you can use a tart pan for this vegan key lime pie. Follow every step the exact same, just place your crust and filling in a tart pan instead of a pie dish!
Don’t forget to top this pie with vegan coconut whipped cream! You can either buy coconut whipped cream from the freezer section at the grocery store or make it yourself. If making it yourself, use a hand or stand mixer to beat cold coconut cream on high until light and fluffy.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Delicious Vegan Recipes

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Vegan Key Lime Pie

This vegan key lime pie is irresistibly creamy, slightly sour, and not too sweet! It's the perfect dessert to bring to your next spring or summer gathering. Everyone will love it and no one will ever know how much healthier it is!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Chilling Time5 hrs

Total Time5 hrs 25 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy recipe, healthy dessert, summer

Servings: servings

Calories: 132kcal

Cost: $10

Equipment

9-inch pie dish
Small bowl
Saucepan

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 ½ cups vegan graham crackers crushed, see Notes
⅓ cup vegan butter melted, see Notes

For the Filling

1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk see Notes
1 7.4-ounce can sweetened condensed coconut milk
½ cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon key lime zest
5 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Mix the graham crackers crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 9-inch pie dish and press into dish to form crust. Bake for 10 minutes to set.
Add all filling ingredients to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Once the filling has thickened, remove pie crust from the oven and pour filling into crust.
Refrigerate for at least 5 hours and up to overnight until set.

Notes

Vegan Graham Crackers: Most graham crackers are unintentionally vegan!
Vegan Butter: Any vegan butter will work in this recipe, and you could use melted coconut oil instead if you’d like.
Full-Fat Coconut Milk: Make sure that the coconut milk is full-fat, if not your pie won’t set. Full-fat coconut milk is most often sold in a can, not a carton.

Recipe yields approximately 10 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

March 23, 2021 Appetizer

Vegan Cottage Cheese

This vegan cottage cheese is a convincing, dairy-free alternative to traditional cottage cheese. Made from tofu and cashews, with a little nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor.

What Makes This Vegan Cottage Cheese So Good

It’s super quick and easy to make! The most time consuming part of this recipe is soaking the cashews – but you can read some ways to speed things up a little in the “Chef’s Tips” section below!
It’s got that perfect cottage cheese texture – not too smooth, not too chunky.

Key Ingredients for Vegan Cottage Cheese

Silken Tofu – The softest, creamiest member of the tofu family. Silken tofu will give you that crumbly, chunky vegan cottage cheese texture you’re looking for.

Nutritional Yeast – If you make a lot of vegan recipes, you’re probably super familiar with nutritional yeast, or the nooch. We use a little here for extra nuttiness and cheesiness.

Vegan Cottage Cheese

Chef’s Tips

The easiest way to soak cashews is the method on the recipe card below. Fill a bowl with hot water, add in the cashews, and let them hang out for an hour or so. If you’re in a rush, though, you can speed this process up a little! Instead of the bowl, put the raw cashews in a pot with just enough water to cover them completely. Bring the water to a boil, then cover the pot and let the cashews boil for 10 minutes or so. Drain them, rinse them, then whip up some vegan cottage cheese!
It absolutely is possible to over-soak your cashews. The water will get slimy, and the cashews will develop an off smell and taste. If that happens, just throw them out and start over – trust me. You shouldn’t have to worry about over-soaking here, though. It’s usually only a concern if you’re soaking overnight or longer.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

A bowl of vegan cottage cheese with a fork on a white background with a napkin

More Delicious Vegan Recipes

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Vegan Cottage Cheese

This vegan cottage cheese is a convincing, dairy-free alternative to traditional cottage cheese. Made from tofu and cashews, with a little nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time0 mins

Soak Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Basics

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: lactose-free, meatless, non-dairy

Servings: servings

Calories: 189kcal

Equipment

Medium bowl
Fork
Food processor or immersion blender

Ingredients

3 tablespoons raw cashews
10 ounces silken tofu
1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Soak cashews in hot water for one hour.
In medium bowl, crumble tofu with fork. Set aside.
In food processor, blend soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, almond milk, and vinegar until smooth. Pour cashew mixture into bowl with tofu.
Season with salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
Serve with crackers, bread, or veggies.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Recipe yields approximately 2 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 2. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 2. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

March 5, 2021 Air Fryer

Sausage in the Air Fryer

Cooking sausage in the air fryer is our favorite way to get Italian sausage or bratwurst on the table! Hands off and super quick, the air fryer cooks sausage beautifully, with a perfect crisp skin.

What Makes Sausages in the Air Fryer So Good

This air fryer method is SO easy. No standing over the stovetop while grease splashes everywhere, turning the sausages constantly to make sure they’re browned (not burnt) outside but still perfectly cooked inside. Here the air fryer does all the work, and it’s virtually hands-free! You just need to flip the sausages once, halfway through the cook time.
Air fryer sausages come out perfectly cooked, every single time. Stovetop sausages can vary every time you make them if the heat is even slightly off, or if you flip them too many times, or not enough, or any number of little factors. Air fryer sausages are always beautifully crisp outside and outrageously juicy inside.
It takes less than 20 minutes to go from fridge to table! Sausages make a great pairing with all sorts of things, too – roasted peppers and onions, potatoes, pasta with a cream sauce… you could even eat the sausages in buns or just on their own!

Key Ingredients for Sausage in the Air Fryer

Sausage – Link sausages are literally the only ingredient you need for air fryer sausages! This method will work for any link sausage, so just pick your favorite (or try something new, it’s entirely up to you!). Smaller links, like breakfast sausages, will cook a little faster than thicker sausages like bratwursts. If you’re Whole30, make sure the sausages you use are Whole30-compliant!

Chef’s Tips

For larger sausages or smaller air fryers, you may not be able to fit 5 link sausages in the basket at once. That’s okay! You can work in batches if you need to. The key is to make sure they’re laying in one even layer, not touching or overlapping, so the air can circulate completely. Any spot the air can’t reach is a spot the sausage won’t cook completely.
Don’t pierce the skin of the sausages before you put them in the air fryer! The skin is there to hold in all the juices, and poking holes in it would just let all those juices run out during cooking.
Air fryer smoking? No worries! Sausages are high in fat, and sometimes the dripping fat causes a little smoke. If you run into this, you can try putting a parchment paper made specifically for air fryers in the bottom of the basket, under the sausages. A little water in the bottom of the basket could help, too.
Air fryers are phenomenal, but like with any appliance, one can be a little different from another. Keep an eye on your sausages in the air fryer the first time or two you make them, so you know exactly what cook time works best for your air fryer! Remember, with pork sausage, you want an internal temperature of at least 160° Fahrenheit.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

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Sausage in the Air Fryer

Cooking sausage in the air fryer is our favorite way to get Italian sausage or bratwurst on the table! Hands off and super quick, the air fryer cooks sausage beautifully, with a perfect crisp skin.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time14 mins

Total Time19 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carnivore, keto, summer cookout

Servings: servings

Calories: 388kcal

Equipment

Air Fryer
Tongs

Ingredients

5 sausage links like Italian sausage or bratwurst, about 18 ounces

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 370° Fahrenheit. Place sausages in single layer in basket.
Return basket to air fryer. Cook 13 minutes for a softer skin or 14 minutes for a nice browned exterior. Using tongs, flip sausages once midway through cooking.

Notes

Recipe yields 5 cooked sausages. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving, or 1 cooked sausage. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brand and type of sausages used.

Nutrition

March 2, 2021 Asian

Beef with Garlic Sauce

Our beef with garlic sauce is the easy, hearty dish you’ve been looking for! This simple stir fry gives you tender, juicy beef and crisp broccoli in a flavorful garlic sauce. Serve it on a bed of rice or noodles for a delicious Asian-inspired meal.

What Makes Beef with Garlic Sauce So Good

It’s ready to eat in no time at all. Less than 20 minutes on the stovetop is all you need to come up with a delicious, filling, healthy dinner you’ll enjoy eating!
There’s really very little work involved. You can make your prep even easier by using pre-minced garlic and pre-chopped broccoli, too.
It’s naturally low carb! Pair it with a side of this cauliflower fried rice for an incredible Chinese takeout copycat that won’t mess up your macros. Keto: If you’re keto, know that this recipe contains cornstarch, which is not keto-friendly due to its high glycemic index. Since it’s a small amount, you may decide it’s fine for you, or you may be more comfortable substituting. We haven’t tried them, but you may be able to use very small amounts (less than 1 tablespoon) of almond flour, xanthan gum, psyllium husk, or glucomannan powder with success.

Beef with Garlic Sauce

Key Ingredients for Beef with Garlic Sauce

Beef – The key to the best beef with garlic sauce is to use the best beef. Flank steak and sirloin will be way more tender than cheaper cuts of beef.

Cornstarch – You might be tempted to skip this step, but don’t! It really makes a difference. Velveting coats the beef in a protective layer of cornstarch so it doesn’t overcook, and no one wants overcooked, tough, dry beef with garlic sauce.

Chef’s Tips

If you’re serving your beef with garlic sauce on a bed of rice, cook your rice before starting the beef recipe. The beef and broccoli will cook faster than the rice, so if you start them at the same time, you’ll be waiting a while to eat!
When you slice your beef into strips, make sure you cut against the grain of the meat. This way, you break up the muscle fibers and end up with tender meat. Cutting with the grain leaves you with chewy, tough meat.
Garlic burns quickly, so keep a close eye on it and never stop stirring. You only want it golden and fragrant before you move on to the next step.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Beef with garlic sauce in a bowl with chopsticks

More Asian-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

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Beef with Garlic Sauce

Our beef with garlic sauce is the easy, hearty dish you've been looking for! This simple stir fry gives you tender, juicy beef and crisp broccoli in a flavorful garlic sauce. Serve it on a bed of rice or noodles for a delicious Asian-inspired meal.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: chinese food, stir fry, take out

Servings: servings

Calories: 219kcal

Equipment

Large bowl
Large skillet or wok

Ingredients

1 pound flank steak or sirloin cut into small, short strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch plus more as needed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon garlic minced
½ tablespoon ginger grated
2 cups broccoli chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 cup rice cooked, optional, for serving
white sesame seeds optional, for garnish
green onions optional, for garnish

Instructions

Place beef in large bowl and add cornstarch. Toss until beef is lightly coated, then set aside.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, warm sesame oil until it begins to shimmer, then add garlic. Stirring frequently, cook garlic until golden and fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
Add ginger to skillet. Cook approximately 1 minute.
Stir in beef. Cook approximately 4 minutes, then add broccoli, soy sauce, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir to coat. Cook until meat is browned and broccoli is bright green.
Remove from heat. Serve alone or over rice or noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions (optional).

Notes

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 4. Nutritional information shown does not include rice, sesame seeds, or green onions. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

February 18, 2021 Asian

Chinese Vegetable Soup

Chinese vegetable soup is an incredible, light-yet-filling meal that’s full of flavor and nutrients. It’s naturally vegan and easy to make gluten-free. Ready to eat in less than 20 minutes!

What Makes This Chinese Vegetable Soup Recipe So Good

It’s full of hearty veggies, so it’s super filling, on top of being super tasty. It’s a light, brothy soup that doesn’t leave you feeling like you ate nothing.
If you’re cutting out meat for a meal (or a month or a lifetime), this is a great option. Our Chinese vegetable soup is completely vegan, plus it’s a good source of protein for a meal, coming in at roughly 11 grams per serving.
It comes together in no time at all. Perfect for any time you just need something quick and easy.

Key Ingredients for Chinese Vegetable Soup

Bok Choy – This traditional Chinese leafy vegetable has a flavor sort of similar to cabbage, but also a little like celery and cucumber. If you’re not able to get bok choy, you can substitute Napa cabbage!

Vegetable Broth – Go for low sodium broth, since we’ll be adding our own salt to this soup! If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, you can use chicken broth or even beef broth if you want to.

Chinese Vegetable Soup

Chef’s Tips

For extra flavor, try adding a little rice vinegar. Just a splash!
For the freshest bok choy, look for green heads with firm stems that fit close together. The leaves will separate from the others when they begin to wilt.
Don’t overcook the bok choy. It only needs a few minutes, and you want it softened, not mushy!
If you want your Chinese vegetable soup to have even more substance, you can prepare a package of rice noodles while your broth is on the stove, then divide the noodles between two bowls and ladle the soup onto them.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Overhead photo of a bowl of Chinese vegetable soup

More Tasty Soup Recipes

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Chinese Vegetable Soup

Chinese vegetable soup is an incredible, light-yet-filling meal that's full of flavor and nutrients. It's naturally vegan and easy to make gluten-free. Ready to eat in less than 20 minutes!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Asian, Vegan

Keyword: easy to make, healthy recipe, meatless

Servings: servings

Calories: 141kcal

Equipment

Medium saucepan

Ingredients

2 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
1 head bok choy sliced
8 ounces mushrooms sliced
1 cup carrots shredded
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
½ teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons salt plus more as needed
pepper to taste
cilantro optional, for garnish
scallions optional, for garnish

Instructions

In large pot, bring water and broth to boil.
Reduce heat to low. Add bok choy, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook approximately 2 minutes.
Add soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook an additional 2-5 minutes, until bok choy softens.
Stir in salt and pepper, to taste. Portion into bowls and garnish with cilantro and scallions. Serve warm.

Notes

Make it Gluten-Free: Double check that your broth doesn’t include any gluten-containing ingredients, like hydrolized wheat protein, and make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari).

Recipe yields approximately 2 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe . Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 2. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

February 9, 2021 Breakfast

Vegan Biscuits and Gravy

Vegan biscuits and gravy are the perfect dairy free breakfast you’ve been searching for! Homemade flaky biscuits and thick gravy, ready in roughly 30 minutes for an easy, delicious breakfast (or breakfast-for-dinner!) the whole family will love.

What Makes This Vegan Biscuits and Gravy Recipe So Good

Flaky, fluffy biscuits smothered in a thick, creamy gravy – what could be better?
Poultry seasoning in the gravy adds a little flavor to this dish that you ordinarily wouldn’t find in traditional Southern gravy, but it’s so good. Flavorful without overpowering! No poultry seasoning handy? Try a little marjoram and sage instead! You can also skip this ingredient altogether if you want.
It’s a great make-ahead meal! The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Both the biscuits and the gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 6 days.

Vegan Biscuits and Gravy Ingredients

Plant-based Milk – Use your favorite! Cashew, almond, and oat milks work great for this recipe. Just make sure you’re using unsweetened milk – this is a savory recipe, and sweet milk just won’t taste right in it.

Poultry Seasoning – Don’t worry, even though it’s got “poultry” in the name, it’s totally vegan. Poultry seasoning is just a blend of spices (usually sage, rosemary, ground black pepper, and marjoram, plus some others) that is typically used to season chicken. It doesn’t contain any animal products, and no birds are harmed in the making!

Chef’s Tips

Overworking the dough will make it dense and tough. Be sure to mix it together just enough to combine all the ingredients.
Make the gravy while the biscuits are in the oven, or make the gravy first and keep it warm on low heat while you put together the biscuits. That way, you’ve got hot, flaky biscuits and thick, warm gravy, without having to reheat anything! If you leave the gravy on the stovetop, stir it constantly so it doesn’t stick or burn.
Consider adding a little plant-based sausage to your gravy, for a vegan variation even closer to traditional Southern biscuits and gravy!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love

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Vegan Biscuits and Gravy

Vegan biscuits and gravy are the perfect dairy free breakfast you've been searching for! Homemade flaky biscuits and thick gravy, ready in roughly 30 minutes for an easy, delicious breakfast (or breakfast-for-dinner!) the whole family will love.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: comfort food, Southern food, vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 377kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Parchment paper
Baking sheet
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Large bowl
Grater (see Notes)
2" round biscuit or cookie cutter
Saucepan
Whisk

Ingredients

For the Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup vegan butter chilled in freezer at least 10 minutes
1 cup plant-based milk unsweetened

For the Gravy

5 tablespoons avocado oil or vegan butter
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder plus more as needed
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
3 cups plant-based milk unsweetened
green onions for garnish, optional

Instructions

For the Biscuits

Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix well, then set aside.
Remove chilled butter from freezer. Grate into small pieces, then mix into flour mixture.
Add milk to flour mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
Transfer biscuit dough to a floured surface. Using your hands, work mixture into a dough. If dough is too sticky, add small amounts of flour until workable, but try to add as little as possible.
Once dough is formed, gently fold dough into itself and knead approximately 10 times. Form into a soft ball.
Using your hands, flatten dough to 1" thick. Use a 2" biscuit cutter to cut dough into discs. Place discs on baking sheet, approximately ½" apart.
Repeat until out of dough, kneading and flatting as needed until all dough has been formed into discs.
Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from oven.

For the Gravy

In a saucepan, heat oil (or butter) over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle in flour, whisking vigorously until paste is formed. Cook approximately 3 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Stir until combined.
Slowly add in milk in small amounts, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook, stirring constantly, until gravy has thickened, approximately 8 to 12 minutes. Add more seasoning as needed.

To Serve

Top biscuits with gravy. Optional: garnish with green onions. Serve hot.

Notes

If you don’t have a grater, you can cut the butter into very small pieces, then mix the butter and flour mixture until the butter resembles small peas or beads.

Recipe yields approximately 6 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

December 29, 2020 Dairy-Free

Sweet Potato Rice

Easy-to-make sweet potato rice is a wonderfully versatile side dish or base for a variety of bowl-meals. Paleo, Whole30, gluten- and dairy-free, this recipe is perfect for many dietary needs.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s super versatile. Serve it on its own with chicken, or use it as a replacement for rice in a Mexican dish with black beans. Mix it in with eggs or turn it into fried rice. Anything you might use rice or cauliflower rice for, use sweet potato rice instead!
Uncooked sweet potato rice can be kept in the refrigerator up to 5 days before you intend to cook it, so it’s great to make ahead and keep on hand! You can freeze the uncooked rice, too.
The cooking process slightly caramelizes the sweet potato, making them slightly sweet and crunchy, but at the same time soft. They’re delicious.
It’s perfect for weekly meal prepping. Prepared sweet potato rice will keep in the refrigerator up to 6 days, if stored in an airtight container.

Sweet Potato Rice Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes – These starchy veggies are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They’re thought to have amazing health benefits (like better gut health and enhanced brain function) thanks to the antioxidants they contain. Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of complex carbohydrates, and they’re naturally gluten- and grain-free.

How to Make Sweet Potato Rice

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

In a food processor, shred peeled sweet potatoes until they form tiny rice-like pieces. Cook the riced sweet potato with olive oil or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally for 20 to 25 minutes until the sweet potato reduces in size and caramelizes lightly. Serve hot and enjoy!

Chef’s Tips

Using a food processor makes this recipe super quick and easy, but if you don’t have one, you can chop the sweet potatoes into rice by hand. Work in batches with a sharp knife, or use a cheese grater.
Fresh sweet potatoes will give you the most flavor and nutrients, but you can use frozen sweet potatoes if you prefer. Let them thaw completely before running them through the food processor.
If your sweet potato rice sticks to the skillet, you can slowly add in a little water to help loosen it up. Don’t add too much as you don’t want the sweet potato to be mushy.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

White bowl of bright orange sweet potato rice

More Sweet Potato Recipes

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Sweet Potato Rice

Easy-to-make sweet potato rice is a wonderfully versatile side dish or base for a variety of bowl-meals. Paleo, Whole30, gluten- and dairy-free, this recipe is perfect for many dietary needs.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: paleo, vegetarian, whole30

Servings: servings

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes approximately 4
3 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Peel sweet potatoes. Chop and place in food processor.
Shred sweet potato chunks in food processor until potatoes resemble tiny pieces of rice.
Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, sweet potato rice, salt, and black pepper.
Cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes have shrunken considerably and start to caramelize. Add water if necessary to prevent sticking.

Nutrition

December 1, 2020 Dairy-Free

Vegan Latkes

Our simple recipe for vegan latkes ensures everyone in your group can enjoy these crispy, savory traditional Hanukkah staples.

What Makes This Vegan Latke Recipe So Good

Latkes are crisp and savory fried potato pancakes, so really, what could possibly be bad about them? If you like potatoes in any form, odds are you’ll love these.
Meal preppers rejoice! Cooked latkes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days, and in the freezer for up to two weeks. Store them in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap.
They’re super easy to make! The most difficult part of this recipe is squeezing all of the moisture out of the grated potatoes – but you’ll get your arm day workout in!

Vegan Latke Ingredients

Potatoes – Russet potatoes will give these latkes their classic look and texture, but you can make latkes with any type of potato – even sweet potatoes!

Oil – Latkes are fried in oil as an homage to the oil that kept the menorah in the Temple lit for eight days. During Hanukkah, observers celebrate the 8-day long Festival of Lights by eating various oil-fried foods.

How to Make Vegan Latkes

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

Start by grating your potatoes and squeezing all of the moisture out of them with a paper towel. This is the step that takes the longest, but it’s worth it! Once your potatoes are as dry as possible, mix everything together and shape the mixture into patties. Pan fry the latkes in olive oil and let cool on a paper towel covered plate or cooling rack to soak up some of the remaining oil.

3 photo step-by-step instructions for pan frying vegan latkes

Chef’s Tips for Perfect Vegan Latkes

Draining the water from your grated potatoes will take a little work, but trust me, it’s worth. For the crispest vegan latkes possible, you want all of the water out of the potatoes. If your latkes come out soggy, your mixture was too wet!
Make sure your oil is hot before putting your latkes in the pan. If the oil is too cool, your potatoes will just soak it up. Test your oil by adding a drop or two of water to the pan. If it bubbles, you’re all set!
Serve your vegan latkes with vegan sour cream and chives (as pictured) to compliment the flavor of the potato, or with the traditional side of applesauce to contrast the weight of the oil and the saltiness of the potato.
Reheat leftover latkes on a sheet pan in a 350° oven for maximum crispness.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

White serving platter holding vegan latkes

More Vegan Recipes

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Vegan Latkes

Our simple recipe for vegan latkes ensures everyone in your group can enjoy these crispy, savory traditional Hanukkah staples.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Hanukkah, meatless, pan fried

Servings:

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Cost: $3

Ingredients

2 cups potatoes grated, drained, and packed
½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
3 tablespoons green onion sliced
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk unflavored or unsweetened
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
2 tablespoons olive oil for frying

Instructions

Grate potatoes. Using a paper towel, squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
Combine 2 packed cups potato and all ingredients, except oil. Mix well.
Preheat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Spoon 1/3 cup of potato mixture into pan. Use spatula to flatten patty to 1/4" thick, approximately. Fry until golden brown, then flip and fry other side.
Cool fried latkes on a paper towel covered plate or cooling rack before serving.

Nutrition