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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

    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.

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    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

    Citrus Salad with Avocado and Pistachios

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    overhead image of citrus salad on a serving platter

    Deliciously bright and zesty citrus salad with avocado and pistachios! Put this season’s best produce to good use in a fresh and healthy salad. Quick and easy to make in just three steps, and under 10 minutes!

    overhead image of citrus salad on a platter with fresh mint on the side

    What You’ll Need To Make Citrus Salad

    Blood Oranges – While they most certainly add flavor, they just as importantly add a stunning deep red color to this side dish. Less tangy and more tart than most other oranges, blood oranges diversify the overall recipe. However, if you can’t find blood oranges or they’re simply not your thing, feel free to replace them with any other type of orange you’d like.

    Cara Cara or Navel Oranges – I know many people rave about cara cara oranges this time of year, and for obvious reasons – they’re freaking delicious! Though for this citrus salad recipe I used navel oranges, due to the simple fact that they were on sale. And let me tell ya, there wasn’t a thing I’d change about how this plant-based dish turned out.

    Avocado – Peak avocado season is January through March, which coincidentally is also peak citrus season. So I figured, since we’re on a seasonal produce kick over here, why not use as much winter produce in this salad as possible?! And that’s exactly what I did. While not necessary, avocado does add in some healthy fats and mild flavor.

    Pistachios – Every salad needs a good crunch, and this citrus salad is no exception! Unsalted pistachios play perfectly with the other textures in this dish.

    Sherry Vinegar – Either sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice would taste delicious in this citrus salad dressing. Feel free to use whichever you have on-hand and/or like the most!

    dressing being poured over citrus salad

    Tips and Tricks

    • Avoid serving this citrus salad right away, and instead leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes before eating. This time will allow the flavors to develop and marinate, making for an even more delicious salad!
    • If not gluten-free, serve this citrus salad with a side of toasted crusty bread! Bread is the perfect pairing to this fresh and bright recipe, and ideal for soaking up that orange and grapefruit juice.
    • You can either peel then segment your citrus fruit, or peel then slice it for this dish. For instructions on how to segment and slice oranges, check out this video I posted!
    close-up image of citrus salad with avocado and pistachios

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Nut-Free: Replace the pistachios with either unsalted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a nice, nut-free crunch!

    Make it Vegan: This recipe is already almost completely vegan! The only thing that’s not is the honey in the dressing, so to make it 100% vegan, simply replace the honey with maple syrup.

    1 from 1 vote

    Citrus Salad with Avocado and Pistachios

    Deliciously bright and zesty citrus salad with avocado and pistachios! Put this season’s best produce to good use in a fresh and healthy salad. Quick and easy to make in just three steps, and under 10 minutes!
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients

    • 2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
    • 2 cara cara or navel oranges, peeled and sliced
    • 1 pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced
    • 1 avocado, sliced
    • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
    • 1/4 cup pistachios, unsalted

    For the citrus salad dressing:

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, see Notes
    • 1 teaspoon honey, or maple syrup
    • squeeze of fresh lime juice
    • salt and black pepper, to taste

    For serving:

    • fresh mint leaves

    Instructions

    • Assemble all salad ingredients on a large platter.
    • Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
    • Drizzle dressing over salad, garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve immediately or let sit for 10-20 minutes to let flavors marinate.

    Notes

  • Sherry Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in place of sherry vinegar.

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    Breakfast

    Double Chocolate Chia Pudding

    By
    two cups chocolate chia pudding

    Ultra decadent, yet healthy double chocolate chia pudding! Whip together this easy breakfast or snack in no time at all. Top this rich and extra chocolatey treat off with fresh berries, whipped cream, or what the heck – even more chocolate!

    chocolate chia pudding in cups with whipped cream and chopped chocolate on top

    What You’ll Need To Make This Double Chocolate Chia Pudding

    • Non-Dairy Milk – Use any non-dairy milk you’d like! I used the Elmhurst Almond Milk since it’s what I had on-hand, and I love their simple ingredients (literally just almonds and water). Though whichever non-dairy milk you use, make sure it’s completely unsweetened. The maple syrup in this plant-based recipe yields all the sweetness we need.

    • Maple Syrup – This unrefined sweetener is slightly lower on the glycemic index than white sugar, meaning it’s less likely to cause that awful sugar spike, then crash. I absolutely love maple syrup, and use it whenever possible! It’s super versatile, perfectly sweet, and has this caramel-y flavor that is to-die-for. However, if you don’t have maple syrup, you can use honey or date syrup in its place.

    • Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder, that is! While most cocoa powders are unsweetened, there are a select few on grocery store shelves that have sugar in them. So learn from my mistakes here, and don’t accidentally throw the sweetened kind into your cart. Ghirardelli and Hershey both make very good unsweetened cocoa powders. And if you want to make this vegan recipe even healthier, then use cacao powder instead. Cacao is less processed than cocoa, and is chock-full of vitamins and minerals.

    • Chia Seeds – These tiny black seeds are the star of our double chocolate chia pudding recipe! Chia seeds are a superfood (for reasons I’ll get into in the next section), are gluten-free, and can be found at most grocery stores. Though if you can’t find chia seeds at your local grocery store, try a health store or vitamin shop instead. Also, Amazon sells pounds of them!
    spoon scooping chocolate chia pudding out of a cup

    Are Chia Seeds Healthy?

    Yes, chia seeds are super duper healthy! They’re loaded with all sorts of nutrients, such as:

    • Iron – increases energy and focus.
    • Manganese – essential for bone health and development.
    • Phosphorus – repairs damaged muscle and bones.
    • Selenium – protects against cell damage and infection.
    • Magnesium – boosts heart health and helps regulate blood pressure.
    • Calcium – vital to building and maintaining strong bones.

    They’re also a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats!

    Toppings/Add-Ins

    • Protein Powder
    • Chocolate Chips
    • Fresh Berries
    • Sliced Banana
    • Peanut Butter
    • Hemp Seeds
    • Chopped Nuts
    • Granola
    5 from 1 vote

    Double Chocolate Chia Pudding

    Ultra decadent, yet healthy double chocolate chia pudding! Whip together this easy breakfast or snack in no time at all. Top this rich and extra chocolatey treat off with fresh berries, whipped cream, or what the heck – even more chocolate!
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups non-dairy milk
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • pinch of salt
    • 1/2 cup chia seeds
    • 1/4 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

    Instructions

    • Whisk together the milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl.
    • Add in chia seeds and chocolate chips, stir once to combine, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
    • Once thick, remove from the fridge and give chia pudding a stir before serving.

    Notes

  • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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