Luscious saffron, cardamom & pistachio cream layered over an almond crust! These gluten-free Kesar Pista bars secretly pack 7g protein. Perfect for Diwali or any other holiday meal! (soy-free, dairy-free, vegan)

Kesar means saffron, and pista means pistachio. These saffron pistachio bars are just so delicious. I just wasn’t ready for how decadent and luxurious they were going to turn out! They’re kind of like creamy lemon bars, but with nutty pistachio and floral saffron flavors in them. 

The saffron-pistachio combination is very popular in Indian desserts and also desserts from many other cuisines. These two flavors just work so amazingly well together, especially raw, fresh pistachios and floral saffron.

I’m using that today to make a fusion Indian dessert based on kesar burfi, kesar pista ladoo, or pedas, but I made them into these bars. We make this almond flour crust with some cardamom and then make the cream topping with cashews, coconut milk, saffron, and a little pistachio, and then top it with generous amounts of chopped pistachio. It all sets up and it becomes just amazing!

If you don’t have saffron, you can skip that flavor, and add extra cardamom, add a pinch of turmeric for color, and an extra splash of vanilla. That flavor profile pairs really well with the pistachios, as well.

Why You’ll Love Kesar Pista Bars

• rich, creamy, decadent bars with nutty pistachios and floral saffron and cardamom flavors
• quick almond flour crust
• easy to make with simple ingredients
• naturally gluten-free and soy-free with almond-free option

Continue reading: Kesar Pista Bars (Saffron Pistachio Cream Bars)

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I can’t believe this is tofu! This creamy, tangy whipped tofu feta with smoky, savory, sweet, spicy ‘honey’ on top takes just 15 minutes. It’s perfect for snacking, potlucks, and holiday parties! (gluten-free and nut-free with soy-free option. 15g protein and 3g fiber per serving not including sides)

This dip, it’s luscious, tangy, creamy, delicious! Topped with a smoky savory spicy sweet topping. And it takes just 15 minutes! Once you try this dip, you’ll keep coming back with I can’t believe it’s tofu! I can’t believe it’s vegan!

We make the whipped feta with a block of tofu, but nobody will believe that it’s tofu-based. Even Dalana, my assistant, who is a level 10 tofu skeptic, said that she can’t taste the tofu in this vegan whipped feta at all. 

Then, we top the dip with this spicy, savory, smoky, bacon-y, hot honey kind of situation. Of course, vegan. And then there’s a crunchy topping with crisp garlic, some toasty seeds, and pine nuts. 

This vegan tofu feta is easy to put together and it will disappear so quickly. You just add everything to the food processor for the tofu feta and it’s done. You crisp up a little bit of the garlic and toast the seeds, and that’s done. Mix the hot honey ingredients together, and that’s done.

It’s just an awesome dip, and it’s packed with protein, from the tofu and the seeds on top. A serving of this delicious dip has 15 grams of protein!

Whipped tofu feta is smooth, creamy, and versatile. You can serve it as a dip with a side of garlic bread, pita, veggies, or whatever else you like. You can use it to make sandwiches with crisp, fresh veggies, and it’s so filling and delicious. You can spread it on the bread with some onion and peppers and bake it to make high protein cheese toast. Or, add it to your charcuterie board with some of my other dips, like my jalapeño popper dip, spinach artichoke dip, or French onion dip. So many ways to use it!!

Why You’ll Love Whipped Tofu Feta

• quick 15 minutes! and easy to make
• a hit at potlucks, parties, holiday parties, etc.
• creamy, protein-packed dairy-free whipped feta that no one will believe is tofu
• crispy garlic and smoky-sweet vegan hot ‘honey’ topping
• naturally gluten-free and nut-free with easy soy-free option

Continue reading: Creamy Whipped Tofu Feta with Smoky Hot “Honey”

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Smoky Moroccan harira soup with chickpeas, red lentils, and quinoa is a budget friendly, 1-pot meal! Bring crusty bread to dip. (21g protein, 21g fiber, 8 mg iron. Gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free. Oil-free option.)

This is such a hearty, delicious, and easy one-pot soup. Today, we’re converting pantry staples into a rich, deeply flavored, hearty, and satisfying harira. This Moroccan chickpea and lentil soup is budget-friendly, one-pot, meal prep-friendly, and packs 21 grams of protein and 21 grams of fiber per serving, and 8 mg Iron. It is cozy, and it tastes like it has been simmering all day, but it really only simmers for about 30 minutes!

Often, harira has either pasta or grains added in it. I am using quinoa in the soup along with the chickpeas and lentils. That makes the soup gluten-free. It is also nut-free and soy-free, if you use nut-free and/or soy-free non-dairy yogurt for the topping, or just skip the yogurt topping altogether. Harira is rich and hearty, even without it.

Serve this with a side of toasty bread, garlic bread, or pita bread, and topped with some creamy non-dairy yogurt and lemon juice. It’s also great over a baked potato or over roasted veggies.

This recipe is rich in folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium from the lentils. It also has vitamin C and lycopene from the tomato. It is very budget-friendly, about $6.50 to $7 for the whole pot!

Why You’ll Love Harira

• 1-pot soup packed with veggies, protein, fiber, and FLAVOR!
• easy to make with simple, budget-friendly ingredients
• flavors of cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and black pepper paired with hearty chickpeas, lentils and quinoa
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free with an oil-free option

Continue reading: Moroccan Harira with Chickpeas and Lentils

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Marry me white bean soup is a creamy, smoky soup with rich, Italian flavors. That tofu cashew hemp cream packs nutrition! (gluten-free with easy soy-free and nut-free options. 23g Protein, 13g fiber 7mg iron. 1-pot, 30 minutes. Freezer friendly and budget friendly!)

What if I told you that you could make an amazing, creamy, 1-pot soup that is also comforting and nutrient-dense? It is hearty, budget-friendly, easy, and packed with protein, fiber, and iron. It is also packed with amazing flavor and is ready within 30 minutes. It is also weeknight-friendly and uses mostly pantry staples. The whole pot only costs about $5 to $6 to make.

Marry me white bean soup is creamy, hearty, and nutrient-dense. There’s 23 grams protein, 13 grams fiber, 7 mg iron, and even more nutrients in a bowl of this marry me soup! There’s protein from the white beans, cashews, hemp seeds, tofu, and nutritional yeast, and fiber from the vegetables, greens, and white beans.

To make it more hearty, you can add red lentils to the soup while simmering in the stock. The lentils add even more protein and fiber! Or, you can double up on the white beans. 

The sun-dried tomato, smoked paprika, creamy texture, and garlicky flavors work really well with some pasta as well. You can also serve it with cheese toast or toasted sourdough, garlic bread, pita.

Why You’ll Love Marry Me White Bean Soup

• The flavor! We build the flavor by
  • 1. Toasting garlic and pepper flakes to infuse the oil
  • 2. Toasting the tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes to deepen the umami
  • 3. Using a combination of tofu hemp seeds and cashews for cream so that the cream has volume and hearty creamy flavor!
• 30-minute 1-pot meal, easy weeknight dinner using mostly pantry ingredients
• creamy, smoky, hearty soup with tons of Protein and Fiber in every bite
• Meal prep, freezer friendly.
• naturally gluten-free with easy soy-free and nut-free options

Continue reading: Marry Me White Bean Soup (23g Protein 1-Pot, 30 minutes)

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I’ve made plenty of lentil soups, but this lentil potato soup is the one I keep coming back to. It always wins on flavor and nutrition, and I’ll tell you the simple techniques that make it unbelievably flavorful every time. Each serve packs 20g Protein 14g Fiber 8mg Iron (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free)

This pot of lentil potato soup, including the toasted seed topping, has 75+ grams of protein, 56 grams of fiber, 24 milligrams of iron(8 per serve is 44% dv), about 700 milligrams of magnesium, 12 milligrams of zinc, plenty of omega fats, and lots of vitamins A and C, along with calcium.

This lentil soup has so much flavor from the way we build up the flavor profile and spices. It is hearty with plenty of veggies and kale, and then we level it up with a toasty seed topping that not only adds amazing texture but also boosts the nutrient profile of the soup.

The lentils bring protein, fiber, iron, and folate. Kale adds vitamins K, C, and A, along with calcium. Pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds bring magnesium, zinc, calcium, omegas, and even more protein. The potatoes add vitamin B6 and potassium, while the carrots contribute beta-carotene. This lentil soup is truly a powerhouse of nutrients.

To level up this lentil potato soup, 1. we first toast the garlic in the oil. Toasting the garlic releases its flavor into the oil, and then we add the onion. The onion stops the garlic from continuing to cook, so you get perfectly golden garlic without burning it. Next, we toast the tomato paste with the onion. This caramelizes the tomato paste and builds even more umami into the soup.

2. The flavors: we build layers of flavor with herbs and spices. I use oregano, but basil or thyme work just as well. 

Then, I make a quick harissa-style spice blend with ground coriander, cumin, onion powder, and smoked paprika. You can also use a prepared harissa blend, sumac, shawarma spice blend, baharat, curry powder, or Cajun seasoning. All of these work wonderfully here. I also add black pepper to deepen the flavor and add a gentle heat. 

These layers of herbs and spices create an incredibly flavorful broth for the lentils and potatoes to cook in.

3. The potatoes are added midway through cooking, so they become perfectly tender while still holding their shape. They soak up all of the delicious broth without falling apart. If you prefer a thicker soup, you can add the potatoes at the beginning, so they break down into the broth. 

Toward the end of cooking, we stir in plenty of kale to make the soup even more nutrient-dense. 

4. We make a quick toasted seed topping. This adds to much texture and flavor, it’s surprising and incredible! We use pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds. The seeds are toasted with lemon zest, which adds a bright, zesty flavor that pairs beautifully with their nutty richness. We finish the topping with Aleppo pepper flakes for a smoky, gentle heat. If you don’t have all three kinds of seeds, use one or two instead, but definitely make the topping!

Why You’ll Love Lentil Potato Soup

• nutrient-packed pot of soup with tons of amazing flavor
• easy to make with simple ingredients
• versatile! Use different spice blends and additions to change the flavor profile to preference.
• crunchy seed topping adds even more flavor, an incredible texture and nutrient boost
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Continue reading: Lentil Potato Soup with Crunchy Seed Topping

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This Vegan hash-brown casserole has a crispy top, savory steak-style soy curls, fluffy tofu ’eggs.’ 27 grams of protein, rich in calcium, iron, and fiber, this is ultimate brunch centerpiece !
(27 grams protein, 8 grams fiber per serving! Gluten-free and nut-free with soy-free options.)

This casserole is based on the steak and eggs with hash browns from IHOP. I decided to turn it into a vegan casserole, so it has soy curls that are marinated and then baked along with onion, mushrooms, and peppers until everything starts to caramelize.

Then, we add crumbled tofu, seasonings, non-dairy yogurt or non-dairy cream, and vegan cheese. Spread that over everything, mix it up a little bit, and bake it again for a cheesy, 1-pan vegan steak and egg scramble.

While all of this is baking, we make our hash browns and crisp them in a skillet, then put them on top of the casserole before serving. You can actually serve the hash browns on the side or on top of the casserole.

I love making breakfast casseroles, like my eggs Benedict casserole and my Mexican egg casserole. In those recipes, I blend the tofu to make the egg mixture. I wanted to make a version where I didn’t have to use the blender, so there are fewer dishes to clean.

This is such a hearty breakfast, and it’s so delicious! For additional protein, you can add nutritional yeast and hemp seeds or more soy curls to the tofu mixture.

Why You’ll Love Hash Brown Casserole

• 27g protein
• hearty, cozy breakfast casserole packed with fluffy tofu “egg”, vegan “steak”, cheese, and veggies
• crispy hash brown topping
• Meal prep friendly!
• naturally gluten-free with nut-free and soy-free options

Continue reading: High Protein Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole (Vegan IHOP Copycat!)

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Seriously satisfying high protein salad with edamame, crispy tempeh, cabbage, carrots, kale, in a creamy peanut gochujang dressing. 23 gms of protein, meal prep friendly. (gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free options)

This salad is so hearty, crunchy, and delicious. It has a ton of protein, fiber, vitamins, and iron. It packs over 100 grams of protein in the whole bowl, plus 30 grams of fiber, and 19 grams of iron. It’s also a great source of vitamins A, C, and K.

This is a salad that’s going to keep you satiated and satisfy your taste buds because there’s so much flavor in the dressing. I use a peanut gochujang dressing because that flavor combination is just fire. Everybody loves a peanut butter dressing, and we’re going to level it up with some gochujang. It’s so good!

There’s protein from the creamy peanut gochujang dressing, sesame seeds and peanuts, crispy, crumbled gochujang tempeh and edamame! We add lots of veggies for even more fiber, including cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, snap peas, green onion, and kale. You can use whichever veggies you have on hand, and use more or less to taste. If you don’t like cabbage, use lettuce instead. If you’d like more carrots, add more carrots. Just play around with the amounts based on your preference.

Then we’re going to add crispy tempeh which has been toasted and coated in a sticky gochujang and lime zest glaze, which is so amazing in this salad. This is the best way to eat tempeh!

We also add some edamame. I like to cook the edamame a little, then add soy sauce and garlic because that adds another layer of flavor and texture to the gochujang salad. You can also add the edamame as is if you prefer.

Then there are sesame seeds and peanuts for added crunch and even more protein. The peanut butter dressing is very flavorful. If you’re allergic to peanuts, use almond butter or cashew butter instead.

Why You’ll Love Peanut Gochujang Salad

• amazing flavors and textures from creamy peanut butter, spicy gochujang, and lots of crunchy veggies, nuts, and tempeh
• packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins
• perfect for picnics, parties, and potlucks
• easy to make gluten-free, soy-free, and even nut-free

Continue reading: Crunchy Peanut Gochujang Power Salad

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Flavor-packed lentil dip comes together fast with serious protein and fiber punch! Lentils, roasted corn, veggies and crispy capers with herby pepper lime dressing is perfect for parties, potlucks, cookouts, and snacking! (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free) High fiber, protein and iron!

This is the perfect lentil dip for summer. I was inspired by a lentil dip that went viral on TikTok, where you just take some lentils, add bruschetta and feta, Instead of those flavors, we’re adding a load of veggies and a fantastic dressing, and also crisp capers! All these flavors and textures have made this my fave this summer!

This lentil dip is a great source of protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and iron and omegas. Protein from the lentils hemp seeds nutritional yeast, fiber from the veggies, lentils, kale. Major flavor boost from the Crispy capers! This indulgent Lentil dip packs a flavor and nutrition punch!

There’s the protein from the lentils. There are the fresh, crunchy veggies, jalapeño, and onion. There’s sweetness from the corn and the apple, the tart freshness from the cherry tomatoes, and refreshing vibrancy from the lime zest. 
There’s also kale in the dip, hidden along with some herbs, so it’s a great way to sneak in kale.

The nutritional yeast adds a bit of cheesiness and protein, while the hemp seeds bump up the protein and texture even more. And all of that balances out with a hint of spice from the jalapeño and the pepper flakes and a savory burst of flavor from the crispy capers.

You can use whichever veggies you have on hand. If you don’t like lentils, you can use chickpeas or white beans and add some more spices to the dressing. 

Make this dip and serve it with tortilla chips, crispy crackers, garlic bread or baguette slices. You can also use it to make wraps with pita bread or tortillas. It’s a versatile lentil dip that will disappear in no time. 

Why You’ll Love this Lentil Dip

• protein- and veggie-packed dip with amazing flavors and textures
• quick and easy herb-lime dressing comes together in 1 jar
• crispy capers add a little crunch and a ton of umami
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Continue reading: Easy Lentil Dip with Crispy Capers

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