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30 Minutes or Less

How to Make Pickles

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two jars of pickles stacked on top of each other.

How to make pickles in a matter of minutes! This quick, homemade pickle brine is loaded with flavor, and made to preserve freshness. These pickles are perfectly salty, and extra crunchy!

three jars of pickles line up on a table.

What You’ll Need

Cucumbers – Either pickling cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or an English cucumber will work! For pickling or Persian cucumbers, I recommend cutting them into spears before pickling. Though for an English cucumber, those are better sliced into 1/4-inch rounds. I use and recommend pickling cucumbers because they maintain their shape and satisfying crunch, even after pickled. However, Persian or an English cucumber still taste just as delicious using this method!

Fresh Dill – You simply can’t make pickles without fresh dill! A few sprigs of this herb help to lock in freshness and pack in tons of delicious flavor.

Garlic – Three whole cloves of garlic truly take this recipe to the next level! The pickling liquid aids in mellowing out that tangy garlic flavor, leaving you with the best essence of garlic throughout your pickles. And if you’re like me (a garlic LOVER), feel free to throw in a few extra cloves!

overhead image of pickles with garlic and fresh dill.

Vinegar – Vinegar plus water is the base of any pickling liquid. I’ve tried this recipe with pretty much every type of vinegar out there. Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, rice wine vinegar – you name it, I’ve tried it! And while they all taste delicious, apple cider and white wine vinegars are my personal favorites. Though use whichever you have on-hand and/or whichever you prefer.

Salt – For extra salty pickles, add two whole teaspoons of salt to your brine. Or, for a more mild pickle, add just one teaspoon of salt. I like ultra-savory pickles – you know, the ones that make your mouth water just thinking about them – so two teaspoons did the trick for me!

Yellow Mustard Seed – While optional, a pinch of whole yellow mustard seeds add a hint of spice. A few seeds go a long way, packing in tons of flavor!

a pickle being lifted out of a jar of pickles.

Tips and Tricks on How to Make Pickles

  • Clean/rinse out your mason jars well before adding in your pickles. A clean glass jar will reduce the risk of any unwanted bacteria growing while your pickles, well… pickle. The best way to achieve an extra-clean mason jar is by rinsing it out with boiling hot water – this’ll kill most, if not all bacteria!
  • Homemade pickles will last up to three month in the fridge! And remember, the longer these pickles sit in their brine, the tastier they’ll be. But if you live in my house, you’ll know these don’t last more than ONE WEEK.
  • Feel free to switch up the ingredients in this recipe however you’d like! For spicy pickles, add in a pinch of red pepper flakes. Or, for sweet pickles, sprinkle in a teaspoon of sugar.

*These homemade pickles are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and paleo!

How to Make Pickles
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How to Make Pickles

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: Snacks, SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

10

servings
Prep time

3

minutes
Cooking time

2

minutes
Total time

7

minutes

How to make pickles in a matter of minutes! This quick, homemade pickle brine is loaded with flavor, and made to preserve freshness. These pickles are perfectly salty, and extra crunchy!

Ingredients

  • 3-4 small pickling cucumbers, cut into spears (or 1 English cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch rounds)

  • 4-5 sprigs fresh dill

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup vinegar, such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

  • 1-2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds

Directions

  • Place cut cucumber, fresh dill, garlic cloves, and whole yellow mustard seed into one large glass jar, or separate into 2 smaller glass jars.
  • Heat water, vinegar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until salt has dissolved completely.
  • Pour water mixture into jar(s) until cucumbers are completely covered. Secure jar with lid, then refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Asian Cucumber Salad

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spiralized cucumber being lifted off a plate of asian cucumber salad

Cool and refreshing Asian cucumber salad! Full of flavor, and easy to throw together in a few simple steps. The perfect side dish or healthy lunch recipe.

overhead image of asian cucumber salad on a plate with a spoon

What You’ll Need To Make Asian Cucumber Salad

Mini Cucumbers – Six mini seedless cucumbers are the star of this recipe. I cut mine into fun little spirals for my salad, but you can simply slice them instead. If slicing, I recommend a mandolin to help slice the cucumbers as thin as possible.

Fresh Ginger – Fresh ginger goes a long way in this Asian cucumber salad! Start by cutting about a 1-inch piece from a knob of whole ginger. Then, peel your ginger with either a spoon or a vegetable peeler. Once peeled, run the ginger along a microplane or the fine side of a box grater.

Rice Vinegar – For a hint of acidity, rice vinegar tastes best. However, if you don’t have any, feel free to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar in its place.

Sriracha – While optional, I recommend a tiny drop of sriracha to round out the flavors in this recipe. For a mild version, start with just 1/2 teaspoon. Or, for a spicy Asian cucumber salad, add upwards of 1-2 teaspoons.

close-up image of asian cucumber salad on a plate

How to Cut Cucumbers

  1. Cut 1/4-inch of each end of a mini cucumber.
  2. Place two chopsticks on either side of the cucumber.
  3. Then, make thin (about 1/8-inch) diagonal cuts along the cucumber, stopping when your knife hits the chopsticks.
  4. Flip cucumber over and make the same exact cuts, in the same direction, on the other side.
  5. Lastly, cut each the cucumber in half, then add them to a bowl for this recipe!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: For a 100% gluten-free Asian cucumber salad, use tamari in place of the soy sauce. Tamari tastes just like soy sauce, but unlike soy sauce, is certified gluten-free!

Make it Vegan: Use maple syrup in place of the honey for a completely vegan side dish.

Asian Cucumber Salad
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Asian Cucumber Salad

3 from 42 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: SidesCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

Cool and refreshing Asian cucumber salad! Full of flavor, and easy to throw together in a few simple steps. The perfect side dish or healthy lunch recipe.

Ingredients

  • 6 mini cucumbers, spiralized (see Notes) or thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 1 teaspoon sriracha, optional

  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

  • pinch of sesame seeds

Directions

  • Place cucumber in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, then let sit for 10-15 minutes while you make the dressing.
  • Whisk together the ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sriracha in a small bowl.
  • Check on the cucumbers, and drain the water that’s gathered at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add dressing, scallions, and sesame seeds to the cucumbers and toss to coat. Either serve immediately or let marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

Notes

  • How to Cut “Spiralized” Cucumber: Cut off each end of a cucumber, then place two chopsticks on either long side of the cucumber. Then, make thin diagonal cuts along the cucumber, stopping when your knife hits the chopsticks. Flip cucumber over and make the same cuts on the other side. Last, slice each cucumber in half, now they’re ready for this recipe!

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Breakfast

Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)

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gluten-free blueberry muffins on a baking tray.

Forget those box mixes! You can make these wholesome muffins from scratch with just basic grocery store ingredients. These gluten-free blueberry muffins are bursting with fresh blueberries and are deliciously soft on the inside. With only 11 ingredients and two bowls needed, this gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe is simple to follow with dairy-free and grain-free options.

stack of four gluten-free blueberry muffins.

Blueberry muffins are a classic recipe, and while this version is gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free, you won’t be disappointed! Super easy and quick to make, they taste just like they came from your favorite bakery!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Blueberries – Whether fresh or frozen, the ultimate staple to this recipe is, of course, blueberries!

Almond Flour – This gluten and grain-free flour is a staple in my kitchen. Almond flour has a very mild taste and gives these blueberry muffins their irresistibly soft texture!

Non-Dairy Milk – Although I used almond milk for this recipe, feel free to use other dairy-free products like oatmilk.

Honey or Maple Syrup – Naturally sweeten these blueberry muffins with honey or maple syrup to add a subtle but delicious flavor. It’s also much healthier than any refined sugar!

gluten-free blueberry muffins on a sheet of parchment paper

ADJUST THIS GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE TO YOUR DIET

  • Vegan: Use 3 flax eggs. They won’t be as big and fluffy, but will still taste delicious!

TIPS FOR MAKING GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

  • If you can’t find fresh blueberries, go ahead and use frozen.  

  • Use cupcake liners to keep the muffins from sticking to the pan.

  • To keep your muffins from getting “soggy bottoms,” allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)
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Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: Breakfast, Dessert, SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Forget those box mixes! You can make these wholesome muffins from scratch with just basic grocery store ingredients. These gluten-free blueberry muffins are bursting with fresh blueberries and are deliciously soft on the inside. With only 11 ingredients and two bowls needed, this gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe is simple to follow with dairy-free and grain-free options.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ Cups Almond Flour

  • ½ Cup Tapioca Starch (corn or arrowroot starch might work, I haven’t tested it myself yet)

  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt

  • 3 Eggs 

  • ¼ Cup Coconut Oil, melted

  • ¼ Cup Honey or Maple Syrup

  • ¼ Cup Non-Dairy Milk

  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

  • 1 Cup Fresh Blueberries

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F & grease or line a muffin pan.
  • Combine your dry ingredients – almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, & salt in a large bowl.
  • Add in your wet ingredients – eggs, coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, almond milk, vinegar, & vanilla extract and mix everything really well.
  • Fold in your fresh blueberries to your muffin batter until they’re incorporated.
  • Scoop out ¼-1/3 cup of batter into each muffin tin & bake for 20-25 minutes. These store best in the fridge – just pop in the toaster oven for a few minutes before enjoying.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Use cupcake liners to keep the muffins from sticking to the pan.
  • Frozen blueberries are a bit more likely to tint the muffins as you mix them in, but the result won’t taste any less delicious!
  • To store, wait until the muffins get to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container in the freezer. 

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OTHER HEALTHY BREAKFAST/DESSERT RECIPES

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30 Minutes or Less

Flawless Vegan Biscuits with Maple Butter

By
vegan biscuits with maple butter on the side

Irresistibly soft and flaky vegan biscuits! They’re chock-full of gorgeous layers and surprisingly easy to make in under 30 minutes. Top these flawless vegan biscuits off with a simple two-ingredient vegan maple butter for a perfectly sweet touch.

vegan biscuits on parchment paper with maple butter on the side

What You’ll Need To Make Vegan Biscuits

Non-Dairy Milk – Any non-dairy milk will work in this plant-based bread recipe! I used almond milk, but you can definitely use soy, hemp, cashew, or even coconut milk if you’d like.

Apple Cider Vinegar – Ever notice that tiny bit of tanginess found in most biscuits? Well, that’s the buttermilk speaking. And since we obviously can’t use regular ole’ buttermilk in these vegan biscuits, we make our own vegan version instead. By mixing apple cider vinegar into cold non-dairy milk, then leaving it to sit for a few minutes, we make vegan buttermilk – yup, it’s that easy!

All Purpose Flour – We wouldn’t have biscuits without flour. Specifically, all purpose flour, which bakes up the best biscuits. I’ve pretty much grown up on the King Arthur Organic Unbleached All Purpose Flour. It’s been a staple in my kitchen for years and has seriously never ever failed me. However, you can definitely replace the all purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 baking flour if you’d like.

Vegan Butter – I use and love the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for all my vegan baking needs. Unlike most baking recipes which call for softened butter, we actually want super cold butter for these biscuits. Therefore, leave your vegan butter in the fridge until the second you need to use it. You can even pop it in the freezer for a couple minutes to get it extra cold!

a stack of vegan biscuits on a table

Tips and Tricks

  • Don’t overmix the dough! An overmixed dough will bake up tough and chewy, instead of soft and flaky. So once all ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing and move on to shaping.
  • No biscuit cutter? No problem! I used a metal cocktail shaker in place of a biscuit cutter for this bakery-style recipe. Really any round object will work to cut biscuits.
  • If not a maple butter fan, top these vegan biscuits with any spread you’d like. Some homemade jam, vegan butter, and/or vegan cream cheese would all taste just as delicious!
vegan biscuits with maple butter on top and a butter knife

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: For gluten-free vegan biscuits, replace the all purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. I swear by the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour for all my gluten-free baking needs!

Make it Nut-Free: To ensure these biscuits are completely nut-free, use a nut-free non-dairy milk such as soy or oat milk, and a non-dairy butter without any nuts in it.

Flawless Vegan Biscuits with Maple Butter

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: SidesDifficulty: Intermediate
Servings

10

biscuits
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

Irresistibly soft and flaky vegan biscuits! They’re chock-full of gorgeous layers and surprisingly easy to make in under 30 minutes. Top these flawless vegan biscuits off with a simple two-ingredient vegan maple butter for a perfectly sweet touch.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup non-dairy milk

  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

  • 2 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter, very cold

  • For the maple butter:

  • 1/4 cup vegan butter, softened

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit.
  • Whisk together the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl, set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
  • Add butter into flour mixture and use either a pastry cutter or fork to “cut” butter into flour until crumbly. (The mixture should resemble coarse sand)
  • Make a well in the center of the flour and slowly pour in the milk and vinegar. Gently stir until a sticky dough forms.
  • Transfer biscuit dough to a floured surface and roll into a 1-inch thick disc. Use a biscuit cutter or something similar to cut biscuits out of dough.
  • Place biscuits on a baking sheet then bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden.
  • White the biscuits bake, make the maple butter by whisking both ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Spread maple butter over warm vegan biscuits.

Recipe Video

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Dairy-Free

“Cheesy” Vegan Enchiladas

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overhead image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish

Wholesome and comforting vegan enchiladas! Stuffed with mushrooms, black beans, an easy homemade enchilada sauce, and finished off with creamy vegan queso. It doesn’t get any cozier or more delicious than these “cheesy” vegan enchiladas!

close-up image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish

What You’ll Need To Make Vegan Enchiladas

Tomato Paste – The key to a rich and creamy enchilada sauce is tomato paste. The concentrated flavor in tomato paste gives our sauce an extra tangy and intense taste.

Vegetable Broth – Most homemade enchilada sauces are made with chicken broth, but to keep ours plant-based, we use vegetable broth instead. Vegetable broth contributes an additional hint of flavor to this already super flavorful recipe. If you don’t have vegetable broth, you can use two cups of water in its place.

Mushrooms – Finely chopped mushrooms provide our vegan enchiladas with a “meaty” texture! I personally love mushrooms, and add them to many of my vegan recipes. They’re a healthy, delicious, and versatile source of plant-based protein. However, if you don’t enjoy mushrooms, you can use 1/2 cup of cooked lentils instead.

Black Beans – Our other source of protein is a can of drained and rinsed black beans! They, similar to mushrooms, give this meatless dinner recipe a heartier texture.

Tortillas – Feel free to use any tortillas you’d like! Corn tortillas or flour tortillas are the standard, but grain-free tortillas taste delicious as well. Though regardless of the type of tortillas you use, make sure they’re no larger than 8-inches. This way, once rolled they’ll fit perfectly in a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Vegan Cashew Queso – The secret ingredient to our “cheesy” vegan enchiladas is half a cup of my vegan cashew queso! It’s super quick and easy to take, coming together in under 10 minutes. While highly recommended, you can make this recipe without the vegan queso if you’d prefer.

overhead image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish with cilantro and limes on the side

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Gluten-Free: For gluten-free enchiladas, use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Also, be sure the corn starch you’re using in the enchilada sauce is also gluten-free.

Make it Paleo: These vegan enchiladas are very easily made paleo as well! To do this, replace the corn starch with arrowroot starch and black beans with diced, then roasted sweet potatoes. Also, use your favorite paleo tortillas, such as Siete Almond Flour Tortillas for rolling your enchiladas.

Add Cheese: If not vegan or dairy-free, finish this dinner recipe off with a sprinkling of your favorite shredded cheese right before baking!

“Cheesy” Vegan Enchiladas

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Intermediate
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Total time

40

minutes

Wholesome and comforting vegan enchiladas! Stuffed with mushrooms, black beans, an easy homemade enchilada sauce, and finished off with creamy vegan queso. It doesn’t get any cozier or more delicious than these “cheesy” vegan enchiladas!

Ingredients

  • For the enchilada sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons corn starch

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

  • 6 ounces tomato paste

  • 2 cups vegetable broth

  • For the filling:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) mushrooms, finely chopped

  • 1 bell pepper, finely chopped

  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • For the enchiladas:

  • 8 8-inch tortillas

  • 1/2 cup vegan cashew queso, optional

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Make the enchilada sauce by whisking together olive oil and corn starch in a large skillet over medium heat, until starch has fully dissolved.
  • Add in the chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, cook for 2 minutes.
  • Pour in apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and vegetable broth, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
  • Prepare the filling by heating olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add in mushrooms, bell pepper, and yellow onion, cook for 3-5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
  • Add in black beans, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and ½ cup of enchilada sauce you made earlier. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
  • Roll enchiladas by placing ¼ cup of filling mixture in the center of each tortilla, ten rolling tortilla around filling to seal. Repeat this process until all 8 tortillas are stuffed and rolled.
  • Spoon half homemade enchilada sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish. Then, place all 8 enchiladas on top of sauce with the seam side facing down.
  • Top with remaining enchilada sauce, then vegan cashew cheese if using. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

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