I’ve been really grooving on quick, healthy, on-the-go meals lately. They never go out of style, make running out the sorry and to the studio much easier, and are a great way to make sure you’re packing some real food and real nutrition into your busy days. 

One of my favorite cold salad options is a soba noodle salad. I had my first one years ago and have loved the simplicity ever since. Cold, sturdy, wheat-based soba noodles boiled to perfection and chilled, then tossed with a sweet, tangy peanut sauce and fresh, crisp veggies - the perfect lunch or dinner! However, as someone with a few food allergies herself, I get that those delicious peanut sauces aren’t especially delicious or functional for people with nut allergies. So I’ve partnered with my pals over at SunButter to create a totally nut-free version of one of my favorite dishes - simplified and paired down to the easiest version BUT that still tastes like the traditional version - so you can be eating in no time!

INGREDIENTS:
SunButter Sauce:
1/2 cup Natural SunButter
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-6 tablespoons water

Soba Noodle Bowl:
6 oz whole wheat soba noodles
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
1/4-1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
sesame seeds, for garnish 

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, whisk together the SunButter, lime juice, coconut aminos, maple syrup, sesame oil, fresh ginger, and garlic. Once combined completely, begin adding in water 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Add water until the sauce is your preferred texture. Set aside.

Cook the soba noodles to directions on package. Remove from heat, strain, and run under cold water until the noodles are no longer hot to the touch. Place the noodles into a bowl and into the fridge to chill while you prep the veggies.

Thinly slice your cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, jalapeño and cilantro and toss them into a large mixing bowl. Pour your SunButter Sauce over the veggies and toss to combine. Throw in the chilled soba noodles and gently toss again to combine. Top with a little extra chopped cilantro and sesame seeds for garnish and enjoy immediately! 


NOTES:
Serves 4-6.

Leftovers last 3 days in the fridge.

Sub in whichever favorite veggies you prefer!

I love the vegan clothing and awareness company BEETxBEET and that they stand up for our animal friends, but I love owner, activist and girl boss Jacky Wasserman even more. We've been friends for a few years now after meeting at a vegan Oktoberfest and interviewing her about her company back where she first started. She works her ass off saving animals and making rad clothing, which has expanded from a few humble t-shirts to hats, notebooks and sometimes even customized cup cozies! She's had some great new, clever shirts come out lately so we decided to team up and create a recipe based on each of her most popular styles - and pair them each with a giveaway of the t-shirt itself! We made some great meals we think you guys are going to love - and then got to eat them ALL. Haha, but only to make sure they tasted perfectly before we shared them. Promise. (Ahh, the life of a food blogger. It's rarely glamorous, but it is full of taste-tests!) 

The first shirt we're repping is one of my personal faves, the 'In Plants We Trust' shirt. It is available in Men's + Women's styles, but I especially love this crop-top cut version. We paired it with a Cranberry Apple Salad with Pepitas + Apple Cider Vinaigrette because it is the perfect fall meal - and it's packed with plants! The tart apples and tangy dressing help balance out the sweet of the cranberries, and the pepitas make a great crunch at the end. This salad is packed with good-for-you ingredients and is a great starter before a meal or as a meal in itself. 

You can get the recipe by scrolling down a  bit. To enter the giveaway to WIN your very own 'In Plants We Trust' tee, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and fill out the widget. We'll let the widget randomly choose one winner and we'll email that person directly for size information + gender preference. GOOD LUCK! 

INGREDIENTS
Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon each salt + pepper
​
Salad:
4 cups mixed greens
2 green apples, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
1/2 cup pepitas

DIRECTIONS
In a blender combine online oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If you don't have a blender or would prefer more of an oil + vinegar style dressing, simply mince garlic and whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.

​In a large mixing bowl toss together the mixed greens, thinly sliced apples, cranberries + pepitas. Drizzle with dressing and serve! 

​NOTES
Extra dressing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Serves 4.

'Tis the season of potato salad! Seriously, I've made more cole slaw and potato salads this month than I think I ever have...which is fine with me! We've had a lot of BBQ's, backyard parties, and things to celebrate this summer so we've been loving experimenting with different ingredients, and until last week, I had never thought to toss tahini in my the mix. I know - WHAT?! I LOVE pouring tahini on all things potato normally, and literally make a snack out of baked potatoes with tahini, lemon and dill on the regular. So how had I never poured any in my potato salad and served it up? Well, it was love at first taste. The addition of crunchy veggies and a little vegan mayo for creaminess makes it next-level good. I've been eating the leftovers all week! You AND your dinner guests will love it, too, I promise. So what're we waiting for?! Let's eat! 

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. red potatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped 
3 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup vegan mayo
1 cup tahini
2-4 tablespoons of lemon juice
3 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS
​Place the potatoes in a large pot of water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

While the potatoes are cooling, chop up the onions and celery and them set aside.

Whisk together the mayo, tahini, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Toss in the potatoes, chopped red + green onions and celery, and toss to combine. 

Serve + enjoy immediately or keep it in the fridge up to a week!

NOTES
Serve 6-8.

Leftovers may need to be tossed as the lemon juice and tahini will separate slightly overtime. 

This simple salad was originally something I though might make it into my upcoming cookbook, Homestyle Vegan, but didn't make the cut. It's delicious and one of my favorite ways to get my greens in, but wasn't quite the caliber of comfort food I wanted in the book, so I'm serving it up here instead! I know what you’re thinking - so many GREENS! But I promise, this salad is a game changer. It’s incredibly simple to make but packs a ton of good-for-you ingredients and tastes incredible. We dress it in a light, tangy champagne vinaigrette that’ll leave you craving more. 

Looking for other salad inspiration? Try our Golden Beet Salad with Balsamic + Cashew Ricotta, ​Strawberry Walnut Kale Salad with Creamy Champagne Vinaigrette, or Mexican Wheat Berry Salad!

INGREDIENTS
Salad:
5 ounces (135 g) lacinato kale, rolled and thinly sliced
5 ounces (150 g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded
3/4 cup (50 g) green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (70 g) pine nuts

Champagne Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons (30 ml) champagne vinegar 
1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
pinch each of salt + pepper
​
DIRECTIONS
Place prepared kale, brussels, green onions and pine nuts in a large bowl and toss to combine. 

Prepare the dressing by blending olive oil, garlic, champagne vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a high-speed blender or food processor until creamy. 

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Enjoy immediately!
​
​NOTES
Don’t have any champagne vinegar? Use whatever vinegar you have on hand, instead!​

You can prepare the veggies and dressing separately ahead and dress as needed.

​Serves 4.

Beets are definitely one of the most underrated root vegetables. Most people think they don't (or KNOW they don't) like them, and most restaurants won't put a dish on the menu that nobody will order. It's a sad cycle, and beets usually get the short end of the stick. But unlike their earthier, more bitter, urine-dying red beet cousin, the golden beet is a sweet veggie that tastes great whether you pickle, bake, brine, roast or juice it. It has a mellow flavor (and color) that pairs really well with tangy, acidic flavors like balsamic vinegar and richer textures like crunchy walnuts and creamy cashew ricotta - which is why we paired them together! Plus, yellow beets are packed with good-for-you vitamins and minerals like fiber, iron, potassium and folic acid. If you haven't tried golden beets, or have just been waiting for the right recipe to test them out in, make this salad. It comes together super easily and tastes great, plus it somehow totally looks and sounds like a dish you'd only find at a fancy restaurant. Let's eat!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in warm water
2 tablespoons water 
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 medium golden beets
4 cups arugula 
balsamic vinegar, as needed for serving
​
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350º. Spread the chopped walnut onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring once. When finished, set aside to cool.

Soak the raw cashews in warm water for at least 30 minutes. Drain the nuts and pour them into a food processor. Pour in the water and salt and pulse until a fluffy, chunky texture is achieved (similar to ricotta cheese). Set aside. 

Trim the ends of the beets, then place them into a medium-sized pot of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook over medium heat until fork tender, about 20-30 minutes. Drain the water and let cool slightly before using your fingers to slide the skins off. Toss the skins in the compost or trash and thinly slice the cooked beets. 

Spread the arugula between two large plates and top with the toasted walnuts, a couple tablespoons of the cashew ricotta, sliced golden beets and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately! (Or, just prep it and take it for lunch to work all week!)

NOTES
Serves 2. 

​Leftovers last up to a week in the fridge. 

It's getting all kinds of wintery up in here! Okay, so not like actually wintery because I live in Southern California where there is seemingly eternal sunshine - but winterish. Definitely more wintery in some places than others, but tomorrow it is officially December. Almost Christmas, and New Year's and 2016...but before that, we have a hard, long holiday season where the weather is cold and the sweets are always around and maybe you just can't possibly stomach another baked good. I get that. So here I am, offering friendship and a meal that'll pick your immune system off the floor and right the balance of good bacteria in your belly. It's packed full of fall + winter foods and drizzled with a tangy cranberry vinaigrette, which nicely rounds out the sweet and savory flavors. It's easy, it's delicious - let's EAT! 

INGREDIENTS
Salad:
4 cups spinach mix OR mixed greens 
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 medium sweet potato, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
2 persimmons, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch wedges
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Cranberry Vinaigrette:
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sweet white onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon champagne OR apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup OR agave nectar
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash spinach and arrange on a serving plate or in a large bowl. 

Slice sweet potato rounds, arrange onto a lined baking sheet and drizzle with the coconut oil. Add a sprinkle of salt + pepper, if you like. Roast them for 20-25 minutes, flipping about halfway through.

While the sweet potato roasts, prepare the persimmons, pomegranate arils, and pepitas and set aside. 

When the sweet potato is finished, dress the greens with the sweet potato slices, persimmon wedges, pom arils, and pepitas. 

To prepare the vinaigrette, simply combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender until dressing comes together. Adjust to your tastes as needed. 

Toss the salad in the vinaigrette or drizzle it over the top, serve, and enjoy!

NOTES
Serves 2-4, depending on portion size. 

Another easily customized dish. Don't have sweet potatoes? Use squash! Don't have pumpkin seeds? Try sunflower seeds or dried cranberries. The must make here is really that tangy, fall-friendly vinaigrette - it tastes great!

I love fall for the weather, changing colors (okay not so much now that I'm living in California), and delicious, sweet, pumpkin-y baked goods. Which is also the problem...a girl can only eat so many of those baked goods before your belly is like WHOA GIRL and you just need to eat something a little healthier, a little lighter. We're trying to balance our Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie and Pumpkin Zucchini Bread intake with this savory, flavorful salad. It'll wake your tastebuds up and remind you that healthier dishes can taste pretty damn good, too! It's a great dish for detoxing the crap that has accumulated in your system all month and because quinoa is a complete protein, it'll keep you full longer than you'd expect. This salad has a great mix of sweet (golden berries, roasted butternut squash) and savory (celery, onions, parsley) that makes it a real crowd pleaser. We love using Essential Living Foods Golden Berries in this salad 'cause they keep their foods completely raw, organic, and full of superfood goodness...and they taste amazing! (We're huge fans, and you can check out their complete line of superfoods for yourself here.) It's perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish or a packed-lunch for the week, and we just know you're gonna love it so let's EAT!

INGREDIENTS
3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 cups water
1 cup rainbow (or really any kind) quinoa
1/3 cup celery, sliced thinly
1/3 cup red onions, diced
1/3 cup golden berries, roughly chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon champagne or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and cut butternut squash into 1/4 cubes and place on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt + pepper and bake about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

While squash bakes, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

​Prepare celery, red onions, golden berries, sliced almonds, and fresh parsley and place it into a large bowl. Set aside.

In another small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, dijon, maple syrup, salt and pepper.

When squash and quinoa have finished cooking and cooled, pour the quinoa and roasted butternut squash into the large bowl of veggies and gently toss with a wooden spoon. Drizzle the vinaigrette mixture over the salad and toss again to combine. Serve immediately or save in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container. Serves 6-8. Enjoy!

NOTES
If you don't have/ don't like golden berries or almonds or any other ingredient, sub it out for something you LOVE! This salad is super customizable and you should totally take advantage of that based on your preferences and what you have in the pantry. 

Sometimes you want something a little spicy, sometimes you don't. If you don't, thats okay. If you do, this dish is for you! We used our flavor-packed, low-fat Cauliflower Queso Cheeze recipe to coat one of our favorite and underused pantry staples, wheat berries, and added plenty of fresh veggies and cilantro to kick it up to party-worthy appetizer level! We fell in love with wheat berries a few years ago at a friends wedding where they served a lovely vegetarian salad (that I literally picked the cheese out of) and have been incorporating them into our diets more and more ever since. Wheat berries are the entire kernel of wheat, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. This means that they are the purest, whole, unprocessed form of wheat. When ground, they make whole wheat flour! Wheat berries are high in fiber and rich in vitamins B1 and B3, plus magnesium, phosphorous, copper, manganese and selenium. And since they're so hearty and full of fiber, a 1/2 cup serving of cooked wheat berries does a great job of filling you up and keeping you fuller, longer. We love this salad as an appetizer or side dish alongside our Jackfruit Asada Street Tacos. Its a crowd pleaser and requires very minimal work on your part, plus is easily made ahead for parties. Let's eat! 

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup hard wheat berries
3 cups water
1/2 cup Queso Cheeze
1-2 tablespoons jalapéno, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced (we used yellow tomatoes from the garden!)
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 
juice of 1 lime
chips for scooping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium sized pot, boil wheat berries in water for about an hour, until the berries become soft enough to eat. Drain the water, and set the wheat berries aside to cool. 
If you haven't prepped the queso cheese, go ahead and do that. If you have, move on to the next step.
Prep jalapeños, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro.
When wheat berries have cooled, mix in queso cheeze, jalapeños, tomatoes, green onion (save a little for garnish, if you like), chopped cilantro, and the juice squeezed from 1 lime. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine, garnish with remaining green onion, and serve with chips! Makes about 2 cups, serves 4. This dish will save well in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!

Its been a great week for us. We spent the last week vacationing in Maine, where Amber originally grew up. While there we hiked to the top of Maine's tallest mountain, Mt. Katahdin (about 4,000+ft elevation), successfully rafted Class V rapids on the Penobscot river, and spent time catching up with friends and family. We'll have a post coming up all about that trip and the amazing food we ate, but for now, we're just happy to get back to our regular routine. Nothing like sleeping in your own bed after a week of air mattresses and futons! We were able to find plenty of fresh fruits and veggies in season and farmers markets being held in Maine, which means it if OFFICIALLY summer. To celebrate, and to get our bodies back on track after a week of travel and extreme workouts, we're munching this easy-to-whip-up summer salad with quick-pickled cukes, crunchy English peas, spicy shallots, and a bunch of fresh dill to kick it up a notch (you know, Emeril-style). It's a great recipe for eating up garden-grown goodies and for feeling a little reset after a week of treatin' yo'self, like we did. Let's eat!

INGREDIENTS
-2 large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced (about 3 cups)
-1 large shallot, thinly sliced
-1½ tablespoons sea salt
-1½  tablespoons champagne vinegar OR apple cider vinegar
-1 teaspoon organic sugar
-2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
-1 cup uncooked english peas
-¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Wash and peel cucumbers. Remove ends and cut lengthwise, using a spoon to scoop out the seeds from the middle so you have two boat-like halves. Slice the halves thinly into little crescent moon shapes. Place into a medium sized colander. Thinly slice the shallot and add to colander. Toss shallots and cucumbers in the salt and let sit about 20 minutes. Once ready, squeeze the veggies to drain excess liquid and rinse the veggies well under cool water. Place drained + rinsed veggies into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine vinegar with sugar and stir well. Toss into cucumber + shallot mixture and stir in dill, peas, and pepper. Toss to combine, and serve immediately with an extra sprig of fresh dill. Leftover can be refrigerated up to 3 days. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Champagne Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon each salt + pepper

Salad:
4 cups kale, washed and gently massaged
1/2 cup thinly sliced strawberries
1/4 chopped walnuts
1/4 cup green onions
1/4 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
fresh lemon, garnish

DIRECTIONS
In a blender combine online oil, garlic, champagne vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If you don't have a blender or would prefer more of an oil + vinegar style dressing, simply mince garlic and whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.

Remove leaves from stems by tearing the leaves downward. Toss kale stems in the compost (my dog loves to eat them, too!) and tear or rip kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. Wash in a colander, using to hands to gently squeeze and 'massage' the kale, so it becomes slightly less crunchy. Pat or shake off excess water, and toss kale into a large bowl. Add in chopped strawberries, walnuts, onions, and cucumber and gently toss to combine. 

Serve with champagne vinaigrette and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Extra dressing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Enjoy!

With less than a week 'till Easter, the days are getting longer and the trees are sprouting buds. Spring has officially sprung! I've been enjoying running with my pup Maddie in the warm, balmy weather, and here in California, our garden strawberries are even starting to ripen. That's where this recipe inspiration came from- have to eat up the strawberries before the caterpillars do! This is our simple, garden-fresh version of a classic strawberry walnut salad. The tangy champagne vinaigrette is my favorite and blending it helps keep it creamy and light. This sweet salad balances perfectly on a bed of slightly bitter, crunchy kale- though we do massage it to make it a little less intimidating. Add some green onions and a squeeze of lemon and let's eat!