Tag

vegan

Browsing
Desserts

Healthy (& vegan!) Pumpkin Spice Latte

By
a healthy vegan pumpkin spice latte with a cinnamon stick on top.

Learn how to make the best vegan pumpkin spice latte at home! Better (and cheaper) than Starbucks, my pumpkin spice latte recipe is delicious, completely vegan, and refined sugar-free.

vegan pumpkin spice latte being poured into a mug

Ahh, the pumpkin spice latte. It’s perhaps the most beloved beverage of the Fall season, and for good reason! It’s deliciously sweet and spicy, and cozying up with one on a cool Fall day just feels right. People seem to really love the Starbucks version, but it’s loaded with sugar, sodium, preservatives and other ingredients, which you can see here. It’s also super expensive (almost $6 for a venti), so making this healthier version at home just seems like the better option!

What You’ll Need to Make a Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte

  • Milk: Regular milk works fine, but I used almond milk. Check out the section below for alternative dairy options.
  • Pumpkin Puree: Sweet and savory, pumpkin puree plays a starring role in Thanksgiving desserts and drinks, including this fall-favorite latte. Make sure you’re buying pure pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling!
  • Maple Syrup: My pumpkin spice latte recipe only uses natural maple syrup to sweeten it, instead of refined sugars.
  • Vanilla Extract: Many recipes do not call for vanilla, but to me, it’s a must for added depth of flavor.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice: Pumpkin pie spice is a delicious combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, an allspice that works really well with this recipe.
  • Espresso or Strong Coffee: If you need a major boost to get you going in the morning, I definitely suggest making this with 2 shots of espresso, but brewed, strong coffee works fine too!
two pumpkin spice lattes in mugs with a mini pumpkin on the side.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

  • Make it Dairy-Free: You can use regular milk if you’d like, but for this recipe I used almond milk. Others prefer coconut milk or oatmilk – the choice is yours!
  • Make it Caffeine-Free: If you need caffeine-free, use your favorite strong decaf variety.

Tips on Making Pumpkin Spice Latte

  • You can use granulated organic sugar instead of maple syrup if you don’t want to go the refined sugar-free route. 
  • If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use ½ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch each of nutmeg, ground ginger and ground cloves.
overhead image of two pumpkin spice lattes with cinnamon sticks on top.
5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Spice Latte (Vegan, Refined Sugar-Free)

Learn how to make the best vegan pumpkin spice latte at home! Better (and cheaper) than Starbucks, my vegan pumpkin spice latte recipe is delicious, much easier and quicker to make, and completely vegan and refined sugar-free.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk I used almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or any liquid sweetener
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 shots espresso or ½ cup hot coffee

Instructions

  • Heat milk in a small saucepan over low heat.
  • Once simmering, add in the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds or until frothy then remove from heat.
  • Divide the espresso or coffee between two mugs, then pour the pumpkin-spiced milk over the top.

Notes

  • Optional: top it off with vegan whipped cream or a cinnamon stick!

    • Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving

    MORE DELICIOUS & HEALTHY DRINK RECIPES

    View Post
    By
    30 Minutes or Less

    Healthy Vegan Apple Cider Donuts

    By
    healthy vegan apple cider donuts on a sheet of parchment paper, one with a bite taken out.

    Is there anything that screams Fall more than apple cider donuts?! If you’ve never tried making homemade baked donuts before, these apple cider donuts are a must-make for this Fall season!

    close-up image of healthy vegan apple cider donuts stacked on top of each other.

    Not only are these apple cider donuts incredibly soft and fluffy, but it contains no dairy or eggs, is baked instead of fried, and is adorned with crunchy and sweet cinnamon sugar topping that is absolutely mouth-watering. Fall isn’t complete without apple picking and a batch of these vegan donuts!

    healthy vegan apple cider donuts on parchment paper with a bite taken out.

    MAIN INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE VEGAN APPLE CIDER DONUTS

    • Apple Cider – Apple cider, whether store-bought or homemade, is going to create the delicious apple flavor we’re looking for in this recipe.
    • Rolled Oats – I love baking up my gluten-free treats with oats! Not only is it inexpensive, but they’re super easy to acquire. 
    • Flax Eggs – A flax egg is a vegan egg substitute and helps bind all the ingredients together!
    • Baking Soda & Powder – Baking soda and powder give the batter that quick inflation in the oven that creates the cake-like fluffy donuts we’re looking for.
    • Cinnamon – This ingredient will be used for making not only the donut, but of course, the cinnamon sugar!
    • Nutmeg – Known for its spicy, nutty flavor, nutmeg perfectly complements the sweet & warm cinnamon in this recipe.
    • Vegan Butter – I typically use the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks in my vegan/dairy-free baked goods. Though any vegan butter will work here, just be sure to melt it completely before adding it to this recipe. 
    • Coconut Sugar – I use coconut sugar when making the cinnamon sugar, but you can opt for organic cane sugar if you prefer.
    healthy vegan apple cider donuts stacked on top of each other, with a bottle of milk on the side.

    ADJUST THIS APPLE CIDER DONUTS RECIPE TO YOUR DIET

    • Add Dairy: Although I use dairy-free butter, you could substitute it for melted coconut oil or regular butter if you’d like! You can also use regular eggs instead of flax.
    • Add Gluten: You can try using 1 cup of all purpose flour instead of oat flour.

    TIPS FOR MAKING BAKED VEGAN APPLE CIDER DONUTS

    • Bring the wet ingredients to room temperature before you combine them with the flour and other dry ingredients.
    • Don’t be alarmed if you see bubbles starting to form after mixing the wet and dry ingredients. It’s just the baking soda and powder reacting the way they’re supposed to. 
    Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts (Gluten-Free)
    Pin
    Print

    Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts (Gluten-Free)

    0 from 0 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertsDifficulty: Medium
    Servings

    12

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    20

    minutes
    Total time

    30

    minutes

    Is there anything that screams Fall more than apple cider donuts?! If you’ve never tried making homemade baked donuts before, these apple cider donuts are a must-make for this Fall season!

    Ingredients

    • For the donuts:

    • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

    • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

    • 1/4 teaspoon salt

    • 2 flax eggs, see Notes

    • 1 cup apple cider

    • 1/2 cup creamy almond or peanut butter

    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar

    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, optional but makes for fluffier donuts

    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    • For the cinnamon sugar:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar

    • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

    • 6 tablespoons dairy-free butter, melted

    Directions

    • Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease a donut pan.
    • Add the rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a blender. Blend until oats are ground into a flour.
    • Add in the flax eggs, apple cider, almond butter, coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Blend until a smooth batter forms.
    • Carefully fill your donut molds with the batter, I used a cookie scoop to keep things neat.
    • Bake for 20-25 minutes and pop out of the molds onto a cooling racks, allow to cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
    • Combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl – set up an assembly line with the donuts, bowl of melted butter, bowl of cinnamon sugar, and a cooling rack.
    • Gently dip each donut in the butter before transferring and coating in the cinnamon sugar, place on a cooling rack while you finish up the rest. Once all are coated, store in a sealed container on either the counter for two days or the fridge for up to one week .

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • Flax Eggs: To make one flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit on the counter for five minutes to thicken.
    • Storage: store in a closed container at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 1 month.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

    Like this recipe?

    Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

    OTHER VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE DESSERTS

    View Post
    By
    30 Minutes or Less

    10-Minute Spicy Ramen (Gluten-Free Option)

    By
    close-up overhead image of spicy ramen in a bowl with chopsticks

    This spicy ramen soup recipe is quick to make and soo much better than store bought ramen! The greatest part about ramen soup is that it’s easy to customize the way you want. You can choose between basic or gluten-free noodles and you can top it off with soft boiled eggs, green onions, chicken, tofu or seaweed – whatever you prefer!

    close-up image of spicy ramen with chopsticks

    Ramen noodles are a pantry staple for households everywhere. The packets are super easy to whip up and I can’t tell you how many times ramen has been my go-to during my school years! But, did you know you can just as easily make homemade ramen noodles in just 10 minutes?

    There are so many ways to customize ramen soup, but I like to make mine spicy with all sorts of wonderful ingredients that I always have on hand. So this recipe is for the spice lovers out there!

    two hands holding a bowl of spicy ramen

    MAIN INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE Spicy Ramen

    • Ramen Noodles – Of course the main ingredient to Ramen soup is the noodles! I used gluten-free, but feel free to use the basic noodles if you prefer.

    • Broth – Use either chicken or vegetable broth as your base. Beef broth works, too, but will have drastically different flavor.

    • Sesame Oil – A little drizzle of sesame oil adds a nice flavor and sheen to the soup’s surface.

    • Fresh Ginger –  You’ll need a 2-inch piece of freshly grated ginger. Dried ginger powder is fine to use as well, but fresh will give it a better taste and a nicer kick.

    • Soy Sauce – 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or feel free to use more to your personal taste. If you are allergic to soy, watching your sodium, or eating gluten-free, you can sub the soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.

    • Vinegar. 1 tsp rice wine vinegar.

    • Chili Paste – Chili paste offers a deeper spiced flavor than most powders and hot sauces, but if you can’t get your hands on any, sriracha works too.

    • Toppings – Top it off with soft boiled eggs, green onions, chicken, tofu or seaweed.
    noodles being lifted out of a bowl of spicy ramen

    ADJUST THIS RECIPE TO YOUR DIET

    • Gluten-Free: Use the gluten-free version of ramen noodles like I did for this recipe.

    TIPS FOR MAKING THIS Spicy Ramen Soup RECIPE

    • This particular recipe will give you a nice and spicy ramen noodle recipe. However, you can very easily dial back on the spicier ingredients for a not-so-spicy experience. If you’re looking for even spicier ramen, add in some hot peppers or chili flakes.
    Spicy Ramen Soup Recipe
    Pin
    Print

    Spicy Ramen Soup Recipe

    4 from 15 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    2

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    10

    minutes
    Calories

    300

    kcal
    Total time

    15

    minutes

    This spicy ramen soup recipe is quick to make and soo much better than store bought ramen! The greatest part about ramen soup is that it’s easy to customize the way you want. You can choose between basic or gluten-free noodles and you can top it off with soft boiled eggs, green onions, chicken, tofu or seaweed – whatever you prefer!

    Ingredients

    • 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

    • 2 garlic cloves, grated

    • 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

    • 1 tablespoon chili paste (aka sambal oelek), see Notes

    • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

    • 6 ounces ramen noodles, I used gluten-free

    • Topping Options

    • Soft boiled egg

    • Cooked and shredded chicken

    • Sauteed mushrooms

    • Sliced green onion

    • Dried seaweed

    • Sesame seeds

    Directions

    • Add everything except for noodles to a large pot and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
    • Taste broth and adjust any seasonings as desired, then add in the ramen noodles and cook until tender.
    • Ladle broth and noodles into two bowls and top with whatever you’d like.

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • Chili Paste: If you can’t find chili paste, you can use an equal amount of sriracha instead.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

    Like this recipe?

    Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

    MORE HEALTHY Soup RECIPES

    View Post
    By
    30 Minutes or Less

    The BEST Vegan Pesto

    By

    This vegan pesto is the easiest and tastiest recipe you’ll make all week! Simply toss all ingredients in a blender, then serve over your favorite pasta. This classic recipe is exploding with fresh, bright, and savory flavor!

    overhead image of vegan pesto in a bowl with a spoon.

    I don’t mean to brag, but I’m kind of famous for my pesto. Even cheese-lovers rave about my cheese-less pesto! It was just sort of a recipe that evolved over time based on my dietary restrictions. Growing up, my mom would take me to the local farmer’s market on Saturdays and this one bread stand would hand out samples of thick sliced bread with a big ole’ slathering of pesto on it. It was my FAVORITE part of the farmers market and truly where my deep love of pesto began.

    When I moved away for college, I had no choice but to start making pesto myself. Also, around this same time is when I started experimenting with a dairy and gluten-free diet. So one day I randomly decided to just leave the parmesan cheese out of my pesto and see how I’d like it. And well, I LOVED it! Then I began playing around with different nuts in my pesto – the traditional recipes call for pine nuts but those can be pretty hard to come by. So I tried literally every nut I could think of and ultimately landed on cashews for creating the best and creamiest vegan pesto EVER. This recipe is perfectly tangy, incredibly fresh, and tastes just as good as (if not better than) the stuff I used to get at the farmer’s market growing up!

    vegan pesto pasta in a bowl with a fork and white wine on the side.

    What You Need To Make Vegan Pesto

    Basil – If you’re growing basil this year, definitely use it in this vegan pesto! I love doubling or tripling this recipe at the end of summer and freezing leftovers to make sure none of that gorgeous, fresh basil goes to waste. And if you don’t have your own basil plant, simply pick up a package of this delicious herb the next time you’re at the grocery store or farmer’s market. To prepare the basil for this recipe, start by giving it a quick rinse under cold water. Once clean, remove the leaves from the stems and add them to your blender. When I say “2 heaping cups,” I mean 2 HEAPING cups – pack that basil in there, and throw in a little extra if you’d like!

    Cashews – Traditional pesto is made with pine nuts, but this vegan pesto tastes even better with cashews. Cashews do an incredible job at contributing an almost cheesy flavor to this pesto, in the absence of parmesan cheese! Though feel free to use any nut or seed you’d like to in this recipe. Walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds would all make great substitutions. However, whichever option you choose, please make sure that it is raw and, most importantly, unsalted!

    Lemon Juice – Lemon juice adds a touch of brightness to this pesto and emphasizes the delicious fresh flavor. Start small on the lemon juice and add more to taste. I loooove a super lemony pesto so I tend to go a bit crazy, but feel free to customize this recipe to your liking! If you don’t have lemon juice, you can use a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead.

    vegan pesto pasta being lifted out of a bowl with a fork.

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    • Make it Nut-Free: Use raw and unsalted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds in place of the cashews to make this a nut-free pesto!
    • Make it Oil-Free: Substitute 2-3 tablespoons of water for the olive oil in this recipe.
    • Add Cheese: Throw 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese in with the rest of the ingredients if you’d like.
    Vegan Pesto
    Print

    Vegan Pesto

    5 from 1 vote
    Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Total time

    5

    minutes

    This vegan pesto is the easiest and tastiest recipe you’ll make all week! Simply toss all ingredients in a blender, then serve over your favorite pasta. This classic recipe is exploding with fresh, bright, and savory flavor!

    Ingredients

    • 2 heaping cups fresh basil

    • 1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews, see Notes

    • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

    • 3 garlic cloves

    • 1/4 cup olive oil

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

    Directions

    • Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • Cashews: You can substitute the cashews in this recipe for pine nuts, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds if you’d like!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

    Like this recipe?

    Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

    More Quick and Easy Vegan Recipes

    View Post
    By
    30 Minutes or Less

    Simple Tomato Salad

    By
    overhead image of tomato salad on a serving platter with olive oil and fresh basil on the side.

    Fresh, easy, and totally delicious tomato salad! Made with a handful of simple ingredients, this summer salad comes together in just 5 minutes. Fresh tomatoes, basil, and red onion finished off with a sweet balsamic glaze – YUM!

    olive oil being poured over tomato salad.

    What You’ll Need to Make Tomato Salad

    Tomatoes – Use any variety of tomato you’d like in this recipe! I used heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges. However, I’ve also made this salad with cherry tomatoes and it was just as incredible.

    Fresh Basil – Tomatoes and fresh basil are the perfect pair! Grab a small handful of fresh basil leaves, and stack them on top of each other. Then, gently roll the leaves (like you would a cigar), and run a knife through the basil creating thin basil “ribbons.” Or, if that’s too much work for you, simply grab a handful of basil and gently tear it, then toss into your salad!

    Red Onion – Or really any kind of onion! A sweet yellow onion would also taste delicious, it’s totally up to you.

    Balsamic – A touch of acidity brings out the fresh flavors in this easy plant-based salad recipe. I LOVE a sweet, yet savory balsamic glaze, but a drizzle of regular balsamic vinegar will also do the trick!

    super close-up image of tomato salad with fresh basil on top.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Toss your tomato salad together, then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. This rest time will allow the tomatoes to marinate in all of their delicious flavor. And remember, the longer your salad sits, the more flavorful it’ll be!
    • Have fun with this recipe, and don’t be afraid to make it your own! Add or remove anything you’d like. This salad is super simple, and should remain uncomplicated.
    close-up image of tomato salad on a serving platter.

    Delicious Additions

    Any or all of the following would make delicious additions to your tomato salad!

    • Fresh Cucumber
    • Chickpeas
    • Grilled Chicken
    • Mozzarella Cheese

    This side dish is vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free!

    Simple Tomato Salad
    Pin
    Print

    Simple Tomato Salad

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

    6

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    0

    minutes
    Total time

    5

    minutes

    Fresh, easy, and totally delicious tomato salad! Made with a handful of simple ingredients, this summer salad comes together in just 5 minutes. Fresh tomatoes, basil, and red onion finished off with a sweet balsamic glaze – YUM!

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound tomatoes (I recommend cherry, grape, and/or heirloom tomatoes), sliced

    • 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced

    • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or balsamic glaze

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

    Directions

    • Arrange the sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, and red onion on a large platter or in a large bowl.
    • Top with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper then cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. 

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

    Like this recipe?

    Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

    View Post
    By