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30 Minutes or Less

Carrot Cake Baked Oats

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carrot cake baked oats in two mugs

These carrot cake baked oats taste just like eating carrot cake for breakfast! This recipe includes a vegan cream cheese icing and is entirely refined sugar-free. Add a scoop of almond butter and a handful of chopped walnuts for a healthy, well-balanced breakfast.

Close-up image of carrot cake baked oats with cream cheese icing and carrots on top.

What You Need To Make Carrot Cake Baked Oats

Rolled Oats – You can use either rolled oats or quick oats in this recipe. I like to stock up on oats whenever I’m at the store, they’re so versatile and super satisfying. Oats are one of the best gluten-free grains, loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plenty of health benefits.

Apple Sauce – You can swap mashed banana for the apple sauce in this recipe – use whichever you prefer!

Maple Syrup – I love using maple syrup in place of refined sugar in my recipes. Maple syrup not only tastes delicious, but is full of antioxidants and less likely to spike your blood sugar.

Walnuts – Add a much-needed crunch to these carrot cake baked oats. I used raw, unsalted walnuts in my recipe and gave them a quick chop before mixing them in. If you don’t like walnuts, feel free to either swap them with another nut or leave them out!

Non-Dairy Cream Cheese – No carrot cake is complete without the cream cheese frosting. Therefore, I developed a two-ingredient cream cheese icing for these baked oats. My preferred non-dairy cream cheese is Kite Hill’s plain flavor. If you’re not dairy-free, you can definitely use regular cream cheese instead. Just make sure, whatever cream cheese you use, is plain and doesn’t have any added flavors.

Carrot cake baked oats being scooped out of a mug.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Add Protein: Throw one tablespoon of your favorite vanilla protein powder in with the oats and make the rest of the recipe as directed.
  • Make it Nut-Free: Use soy or coconut milk instead of almond milk and leave out the walnuts. If you’re also making the cream cheese icing, make sure your dairy-free cream cheese is nut-free as well!
  • Add Dairy: Swap out the almond milk for cow’s milk and the dairy-free cream cheese for regular cream cheese.
5 from 1 vote

Carrot Cake Baked Oats

These carrot cake baked oats taste just like eating carrot cake for breakfast! This recipe includes a vegan cream cheese icing and is entirely refined sugar-free. Add a scoop of almond butter and a handful of chopped walnuts for a healthy, well-balanced breakfast.
Print Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

For the baked oats:

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, see Notes
  • 1/2 cup apple sauce, see Notes
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk, see Notes
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons grated carrots
  • 1 tablespoon raisins, optional
  • 1 tablespoon walnuts, optional

For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1 tablespoon non-dairy cream cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and lightly grease a oven-safe ramekin.
  • Add the oats, apple sauce, almond milk, maple syrup, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour into ramekin and mix in the raisins, carrots, and walnuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • Whisk together the dairy-free cream cheese and maple syrup in a small bowl. Pour icing over your oats and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Rolled Oats: You can also use quick oats, if you’d like.
  • Apple Sauce: You can swap the apple sauce for 1/2 cup of mashed banana.
  • Almond Milk: Use any non-dairy milk you’d like!
  • Walnuts: Pecans would also taste great, but use whatever nuts you’d like.

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal
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    30 Minutes or Less

    Maple Dijon Salmon Salad

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    overhead image of maple dijon salmon salad in a bowl.

    Buttery, flaky salmon atop a simply dressed maple dijon salad! This quick and easy recipe yields perfectly seasoned, and cooked salmon every time. A complete meal, loaded with fresh veggies, then finished off with a tangy maple dijon dressing, ready in under 20 minutes!

    close-up overhead image of maple dijon salmon salad on a plate with a fork

    What You’ll Need To Make This Maple Dijon Salmon Salad

    Dijon Mustard – We do NOT use this ingredient sparingly in our maple dijon dressing! An entire 1/4 cup gives this entire meal tons of tangy, delicious flavor. In case you’re not familiar with this French ingredient, dijon mustard is creamier, spicier, and has less vinegar than yellow mustard. It’s a favorite in my home, for everything from sandwiches to salad dressings. It’s among one of the healthiest condiments you can use, with no added-sugar or preservatives!

    Maple Syrup – A touch of maple syrup is necessary to balance out the intensely savory flavors in this salmon salad recipe. And if you don’t have any maple syrup on-hand, you can use an equal amount of honey instead.

    Salmon Fillets – Feel free to use any variety of salmon fillets you’d like! Sockeye salmon and atlantic salmon are the two most common types, and are only slightly different from each other. Sockeye salmon is a bit more lean, and has a stronger fish flavor, while atlantic salmon is fattier, with a more mild flavor. I personally love atlantic salmon for it’s ultra-soft, buttery, and flaky qualities. Though again, you can use any type of salmon fillets you’d like for this lunch or dinner recipe!

    Green Apple – I know, not all of us are fans of fruit in our salads. However, green apple is much more tart than sweet in this salmon salad. Also, remember we have a bit of sweetness in our dressing – so the little bit of natural sweetness from a thinly sliced green apple works to compliment that. If you don’t have any green apples, you can easily leave them out or use a red apple in its place.

    Pecans or Walnuts – I have just one rule when it comes to salads, they all must include a crunchy component. A little bit of crunch goes a long way in rounding out the textures in this dish. Roughly chopped pecans and/or walnuts are a healthy alternative to standard croutons. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plenty of healthy fats!

    maple dijon dressing being poured over salmon salad.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Feel free to add or remove any salad ingredients you’d like! Not a fan of nuts? Simple leave them out. Prefer a certain type of lettuce? Then definitely use it! This super simple salad recipe is incredibly easy to customize.
    • For anyone who cooks meat or fish regularly, I highly recommend investing in a kitchen thermometer. This is the thermometer I use on pretty much a daily basis. It’s the easiest way to ensure perfectly cooked salmon every time!
    • This salmon salad can be enjoyed hot or cold! Salmon’s one of those things that tastes delicious at just about any temperature. I often double this recipe for easy grab-and-go lunches all week long – no need to reheat!
    Maple dijon salmon salad on a serving platter.

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Sugar-Free: For an entirely sugar-free recipe, use Lankanto Maple Flavored Syrup in place of the maple syrup.

    Make it Nut-Free: Simply replace the nuts with sunflower seeds to make this a nut-free lunch or dinner recipe.

    5 from 1 vote

    Maple Dijon Salmon Salad

    Buttery, flaky salmon atop a simply dressed maple dijon salad! This quick and easy recipe yields perfectly seasoned, and cooked salmon every time. A complete meal, loaded with fresh veggies, then finished off with a tangy maple dijon dressing, ready in under 20 minutes!
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 17 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    For the dressing:

    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
    • juice from 1 lemon, see Notes
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    For the salmon:

    • 4 salmon fillets, boneless
    • salt and black pepper, to taste

    For the salad:

    • 4 cups lettuce, see Notes
    • 1 cucumber, sliced
    • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 green apple, thinly sliced
    • 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
    • Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
    • Place salmon fillets on a baking sheet and pat dry with a paper towel. Season filets with salt and black pepper, then drizzle half the maple Dijon dressing evenly over top of the salmon.
    • Bake salmon for 10-12 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into thickest end of the salmon read 125° Fahrenheit.
    • While salmon cooks, place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Once salmon is done, divide salad between four plates, top each plate with a salmon filet and serve with remaining dressing.

    Notes

  • Lemon Juice: If you don’t have any fresh lemons, you can use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar in place of the lemon juice in this recipe.
  • Lettuce: Use any type of lettuce you like, I used mesclun!

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Avocado Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes

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    avocado pasta on a plate with a fork

    Vibrantly green and irresistibly creamy avocado pasta, finished off with roasted garlic and tomatoes! Whip up this quick, easy, and healthy dinner recipe in under 20 minutes. Perfect when you’re short on time and/or craving something comforting and delicious.

    close-up image of avocado pasta with roasted garlic and tomatoes on a plate

    What You’ll Need To Make Avocado Pasta

    Avocado – LOL, duh! Pick up two perfectly ripe avocados for this plant-based recipe. To know whether your avocados are ripe or not, give them a gentle squeeze. If the skin gives a tiny bit then they’re ready to eat! Though if your avocados feel hard as rocks, leave them out at room temperature for another day or two until ripe. I almost always buy a big bag of avocados while at the store, and use leftovers to make avocado toast in the morning – yum!

    Fresh Herbs – Feel free to use any fresh herbs you’d like, or have on-hand! I used a combo of fresh basil and fresh parsley, which made for a perfectly fresh-tasting sauce. However, a bunch of fresh cilantro would taste equally as delicious.

    Garlic – Plenty of garlic is necessary for this avocado pasta recipe! We pretty much use an entire garlic bulb between the roasted garlic and tomatoes, and the avocado sauce. When roasted, garlic releases intense flavor which is straight up heavenly. I could eat roasted garlic all by itself, it’s that good! Together with the tomatoes, olive oil, and a little bit of salt and pepper – the roasted garlic in this recipe is to-die-for.

    overhead image of avocado pasta on two plate

    Tips and Tricks

    • Use any pasta shape you’d like! I used bow-ties since they’re what I had, but shape truly makes no difference here. I can imagine this avocado pasta tastes just as delicious with spaghetti, penne, fusilli, elbows, etc.
    • Remember to reserve half a cup of pasta water! This pasta water will be added back into the pasta, after you’ve strained it, and added the avocado sauce in. The starches from the reserved water help your sauce latch onto the pasta.
    • Typically served hot, this pasta can also be served cold as an avocado pasta salad. For a cold pasta dish, cook up everything the same. Then, cover and leave to chill for about an hour before serving.

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Gluten-Free: This pasta is easily made gluten-free with the use of your favorite gluten-free pasta. Now my personal favorite gluten-free pasta is Jovial’s Brown Rice pasta, and is actually exactly what I used in the photos here!

    Make it Paleo/Grain-Free: For a paleo pasta, simply use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash in place of the pasta in this dinner recipe.

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    Avocado Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes

    Vibrantly green and irresistibly creamy avocado pasta, finished off with roasted garlic and tomatoes! Whip up this quick, easy, and healthy dinner recipe in under 20 minutes. Perfect when you’re short on time and/or craving something comforting and delicious.
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound pasta, uncooked

    For the roasted garlic and tomatoes:

    • 1 pint grape tomatoes
    • 6-8 garlic cloves, sliced
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • salt and black pepper, to taste

    For the avocado sauce:

    • 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pits removed
    • 1/2 cup fresh basil, parsley, and/or cilantro
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 lemon, juiced
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Make the roasted garlic and tomatoes by placing tomatoes and sliced garlic on a baking sheet, then drizzling with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until soft and very fragrant.
    • While garlic and tomatoes roast, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente and reserve ½ cup pasta water.
    • While pasta cooks, add all avocado sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Once pasta is cooked, strain then add back into pot along with avocado sauce and reserved pasta water. Toss pasta in sauce before adding in roasted garlic and tomatoes, serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Flawless Vegan Biscuits with Maple Butter

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    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.

    No ratings yet

    Flawless Vegan Biscuits with Maple Butter

    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.
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 10 biscuits

    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

    Instructions

    • 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.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Perfect Seared Scallops Recipe with Garlicky Greens and Polenta

    By
    close-up image of seared scallops with polenta and garlicky greens on a plate.

    Melt-in-your-mouth scallops seared in a bit of butter, with garlicky greens and creamy polenta. The perfect light, easy, and delicious elevated dinner recipe!

    holding a plate of this seared scallops recipe with polenta and garlicky greens

    I don’t know about you, but I avoided cooking scallops for yearssss because I simply didn’t know how! Though when I eventually gave these pan-seared scallops a try, I was super impressed. They’re not only easy to make, but come together super fast. Scallops are tiny little things, and therefore only need a few minutes to fully cook. I prefer searing them in a pan with a little bit of butter. This gives them an irresistibly crispy outside, and buttery soft inside. And while pan-searing them is hands down the tastiest way to cook scallops, you can also grill them or cook them in an air fryer.

    two plates of the seared scallops recipe with garlicky greens and polenta

    What You’ll Need For This Scallops Recipe

    Large Sea Scallops – Head to your local seafood counter and pick up a pound of large sea scallops for this recipe! The two most common types of scallops you’ll find are sea scallops and bay scallops. Bay scallops are dislike the sea scallops we use in this dish in that they’re much smaller. Like teeny tiny bite-sized small. While delicious, bay scallops are best fried or baked, instead of seared. So once you’ve got your hands on big boy sea scallops, give them a quick rinse under cold water. Then, pat dry with a paper towel, before seasoning and cooking.

    Fresh Greens – Any and all fresh greens are welcome here! I used a combination of fresh cut curly kale and fresh baby spinach. This is a great dish to use up any leftover green vegetables you might have lying around on the verge of going bad. In fact, the garlicky greens portion of this recipe came about because I had a very sad bunch of kale sitting in my fridge for over a week that I was determined to not let go to waste!

    Polenta – If you’re at all unfamiliar with polenta, it’s simply dry, ground corn. It’s naturally gluten-free with an impressive amount of protein and fiber. Polenta is an extra healthy addition to this already super healthy meal. It’s sold in two different forms – dried, and pre-cooked. Pre-cooked polenta typically comes in a tube and is perfect for frying or baking. And while definitely delicious, we’ll use the pre-cooked kind in a recipe another time! For this scallops recipe, reach for a bag of dried polenta. Then, rehydrate and cook the polenta yourself in water, butter, and salt until thick and irresistibly creamy.

    overhead image of scallops recipe on a plate with white wine on the side

    Tips and Tricks

    • Don’t forget about your polenta! Return to the polenta every 5-10 minutes during the cooking process to give it a quick whisk and ensure no clumps are forming. By keeping a watchful eye on your polenta, you’ll guarantee a perfectly smooth and enjoyable side dish.
    • If unsure whether your scallops are done or not, use a meat thermometer to check their internal temperature. Once a thermometer inserted into one of the scallops reads 125° Fahrenheit, then they’re done cooking and should be removed from the heat. Do everything in your power to avoid overcooked scallops, since those can be tough and chewy.
    • Add or remove any element of this recipe that you’d like! If not a garlicky greens fan, simply swap them out for your favorite sautéed or roasted veggies. Also, if you prefer a different grain such as rice, quinoa, or farro, go ahead and use that instead!
    seared scallops recipe on a plate with white wine on the side

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, simply use non-dairy butter or replace the butter with equal parts olive oil!

    Make it Gluten-Free: While this scallops recipe is already gluten-free, I’d recommend double-checking the polenta you’re using to ensure that it’s also 100% gluten-free. Polenta is sometimes made in a factory with, or shares equipment with gluten ingredients.

    No ratings yet

    Perfect Seared Scallops with Garlicky Greens and Polenta

    Melt-in-your-mouth scallops seared in a bit of butter, with garlicky greens and creamy polenta. The perfect light, easy, and delicious elevated dinner recipe!
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    For the scallops:

    • 1 pound large sea scallops
    • salt and black pepper, to taste
    • 1 tablespoon butter, I used non-dairy butter

    For the greens:

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 1 bunch fresh greens (kale, Swiss chard, and/or spinach)
    • 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
    • salt and black pepper, to taste

    For the polenta:

    • 4 cups water
    • 1 cup polenta
    • 1 tablespoon butter, I used non-dairy butter
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Make the polenta by boiling the water in a large saucepan over medium-high head. Add in polenta, butter, and salt. Stir constantly for 3 minutes, or until polenta start to thicken.
    • Reduce heat to low and cover with lid, simmer for 30 minutes whisking every 5-10 minutes.
    • While polenta cooks, rinse scallops under cold water, then pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of scallops with salt and pepper.
    • Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook scallops in skillet for about 1-2 minutes per side or until cooked through. Set scallops aside and keep warm.
    • In that same skillet, make the greens by adding in olive oil and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add in fresh greens, lemon juice and zest, a pinch of salt, and black pepper.
    • Sauté greens until wilted and tender (about 5 minutes), then serve over polenta with seared scallops on top.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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