Vegan Jackfruit Tuna Melt (soy-free)

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vegan tuna melt

Before I went vegan, and even when I was pescatarian many years ago, I’d probably eaten a tuna melt mayyybe once in my life. In elementary school, tuna sandwiches were always the last to be picked and I’m sure most were thrown away. What a waste of precious life 😔. [Check out my post on importance of making the switch to vegan seafood here]

When I think of a tuna sandwich, I think of spongy bread filled with yellowish-grayish mush wrapped in 10 layers of saran wrap.

Honestly, they just never appealed to me.

Fast forward many years later, and after the kindling of my love affair with jackfruit, I decided to turn this once repulsive sandwich into something that’s not only yummy, but cruelty free, cholesterol free, mercury free, and soy free. 

Vegan Jackfruit Tuna Melt Recipe

vegan jackfruit tuna melt recipe

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Vegan Rose Water Donuts (oil-free)

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vegan rose water donuts

I finally have rose water in my kitchen and I’m about to go nuts. The flavor is so rich and concentrated that you only need a teaspoon or two depending on what you’re making. I purchase 2 bottles for $15 on Amazon and now I’m going to make sure I always have rose water on deck. So far I’ve used it to make a rose latte (link at the end) and these vegan rose water donuts but I also want to test out a rose gingerade and sooo many baked good so stay tuned. As the new rose water recipes go up, I’ll make sure to update the ‘recommended’ section at the bottom with links to them all.

Vegan rose water donut recipe after the jump!

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Vegan Coffee Alternatives

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vegan coffee alternatives

For some people, the adrenaline rush that they get from caffeine is a bit too much for their body to handle, others cannot function unless they have a minimum of 3-cups worth. We all know the old adage, ‘everything in moderation’ but how many of us in this go-go-go world actually apply that philosophy to our caffeine consumption?

For all it’s pros, caffeine has many dangerous side effects when used excessively. After all, it’s still a drug. Like all drugs, caffeine triggers a release of dopamine that gives your body a warm and fuzzy feeling that makes makes you crave another cup. Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug, and coffee is possibly the second most valuable product after oil.

Up to 90% of Americans 🇺🇸 of all ages consume some caffeine daily and more than 50% consuming coffee daily. More than 50% average 300mg per day, with an average daily dosage for all consumers of about 200mg. One report estimates nearly 95% of Brazil’s 🇧🇷 population consumes caffeine daily,

Personally, I am a coffee wimp. One cup of coffee can sometimes send my body into an anxious frenzy and at times, it makes me bloated. Espresso seems to agree with my body a lot more than coffee but even still, I have to make sure that I am not drinking it on an empty stomach, otherwise I’ll have splitting headache the rest of the day. To make a long story short, I think it can smell my fear 🤓.

For me, coffee is a something that I indulge in when I want to treat myself and it’s more about the ‘ceremony’ of drinking coffee rather than any real benefits. I had to ask myself: is the short pleasure that I receive when I have a cup of coffee or espresso really worth putting up with these symptoms?

Whether you’re a casual drinker or a full on coffee machine, you should check out the 5 reasons why you should think about swapping out coffee for one of these recipes below. Learn how to make delicious caffeine free and vegan Rose Lattes, Lavender Lattes, Golden Milk, and Matcha Lattes with these easy recipes that will pick you up without dragging you down later.

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Vegan No-Bake Matcha Cheesecake Bites St. Patrick’s Day

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vegan no-bake matcha cheesecake bites for St. Patrick's Day

Looking for a somewhat healthy treat to balance out all of the green beer you’re apt to drink on St. Patrick’s Day? Check out my super simple recipe for Vegan No-Bake Matcha Cheesecake Bites below.

The filling is a combination of soaked cashews, matcha powder, sweetener, and lemon juice. I adapted my recipe from the Minimalist Baker. You can find the original here.

I used pitted dates and walnuts for the crust and it came out divine! Can’t wait to try it out in other dessert recipes. 😊

vegan no-bake matcha cheesecake bites for St. Patrick's Day

Imagine a cheesecake that has 0 cholesterol and is made of whole, plant-based ingredients…it exists!

Enjoy 😉
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Vegan Game Day Snacks (Super Bowl)

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vegan game day snacks

Vegan Game Day Snacks

For many vegans, going to Super Bowl parties means munching on french fries, dry crudités and downing copious amounts of alcohol to help you deal with all the corny vegan jokes.

After you scroll through these vegan game day snack recipes you’ll be able to sneak your own delicious vegan food onto the food table and….

FOOL. EVERYONE.

Seriously though…I highly doubt anyone will complain when they find out that the delicious macaroni, fried ‘chicken,’ ‘bacon,’ buffalo and lemon pepper wings, and the loaded cheese fries that they just ate were all vegan. If they do, tell them to send their complaints to me 😉.

Check out recipes for vegan mac & cheese topped with bacon, vegan air fried cauliflower, buffalo cauliflower wings, lemon pepper cauliflower wings, and loaded cheese fries after the jump.

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Jackfruit 5 Ways

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Jackfruit 5 ways

Jackfruit was definitely my holy grail ingredient of 2017. It’s kind of a blank slate until cooked and it definitely gives 95% of all soy-based meat recipes a run for their money. There’s a jackfruit recipe for anytime of the year and for any mood, so today I will be highlighting how to make jackfruit 5 ways.

The texture when raw is hard to describe, but it’s definitely tougher raw than when cooked. When cooked, jackfruit softens and it takes very well to marinades. When used in soups, jackfruit can keep in the fridge (inside the soup) for a few days without turning into a stringy mess.

If you know anyone who’s having a hard time going vegan because they are wary of soy products, then I definitely suggest that you try all of these recipes. From tacos, to soup, to quesadillas and even crab cakes, the possibilities are literally endless.

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Vegan Jackfruit Crab Cakes (Crabless)

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vegan jackfruit crab cakes

Some people can go vegan overnight, some transition from vegetarianism, and others gradually wean themselves off of different animal products in stages. If you struggle to  imagine a world without seafood, this post is for you.

Veganism has made great strides in recreating your favorite seafood dishes without fish and without the unnecessary strain on our oceans. There’s vegan shrimp, vegan scallops, vegan tuna, vegan fish filets, vegan ceviche, vegan calamari, vegan salmon, vegan lobster and of course vegan crab cakes. You should definitely check out those examples above, they all look super yummy and I will definitely try my hand at some of these in the future.

So how the heck do you re-imagine seafood as vegan? Jackfruit, carrots, oyster mushrooms and of course soy and tempeh can all be used to recreate your favorite seafood dishes without cruelty and without harming our planet.

Overfishing is a very serious problem that is sometimes overshadowed by factory farming. Both industries account for trillions upon trillions of deaths each year. If I told you the numbers, you wouldn’t be able to fathom the sheer magnitude of killing that happens in our oceans.

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How to Not Get Sick and Boost Your Immunity

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https://httpvvegan.com/2018/01/15/how-to-not-get-sick-and-boost-your-immunity/

It is officially winter, the time of year where people expect to have sore throats, itchy eyes, and stuffy noses. For many people, this time of the year is synonymous with the common cold.

But you know what?

It doesn’t have to be that way at all! There isn’t something in the air in the winter that makes people’s immune systems break down, and there isn’t an increase in the amount of cold viruses among us in the colder months. The increase in cases of the common cold and even the flu can all be attributed to habits and lifestyle choices. Stress, poor nutrition, lack of sleep and exercise, and little to no sunshine can all be kryptonite for your immune system. If you’re working with any combination of those….

how to not get sick and boost your immunity

Whether you need some help protecting your immune system while dodging coughing co-workers, or if you’re already a little under the weather and need to make a 180º STAT, I can help you learn how to not get sick and boost your immunity. There are so many natural and inexpensive ways to bolster your immune system: warm tonics, nutrient-packed fresh juices, herbs & supplements, and countless tips and tricks that can help you feel invincible in these cold winter months.

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Soy-Free Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

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Soy-Free Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

It’s so-called flu season, right?

Nope! Not if you’re taking the proper preventative measures to keep that nasty bug at bay…more to come on that soon. The key to keeping the common cold, the flu, and other ‘seasonal’ viruses away is not found in a plastic bottle with a child safety cap. Maintaining your health throughout the year, no matter the season, is an ongoing process and definitely a full-time job.

For those moments when a cold still gets the best of you, or you just feel like having chicken noodle soup for the sake of nostalgia, you can make this soy free vegan chicken noodle soup. I promise you this version tastes better than any overly salted canned version, and no chickens had to be stuffed with antibiotics or killed for it. We will be using jackfruit in place of soy chik’n strips, so this recipe is au naturale, baby 😉. All you need is veggies, (jack)fruit, noodles and veggie broth. Isn’t it interesting that in American culture we think a soup using one of the most disease-ridden animals and antibiotic resistant animals (thanks to factory farming) is a remedy for a cold?

Check out this recipe for a healthier, cruelty-free version of ‘chicken’ noodle soup after the jump!

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Jackfruit Tortilla Soup

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jackfruit tortilla soup

It’s that weird time of the year in Los Angeles where you go to bed in full fall pajama regalia, grab a sweater on your way out of the door in the morning, but by lunch time, you are sweating bullets. The high may have been 100 degrees in Los Angeles today, but it’s still officially fall so I am working on my soup arsenal.

I’ve been testing out more recipes using jackfruit this year and I know I always say this, but this one is definitely the best so far. This jackfruit tortilla soup hits all of the marks of fall comfort food. If you haven’t cooked with jackfruit before, you can think of it as a shredded chicken replacement. Canned jackfruit comes in medium-sized wedges so you have to tear them apart and take out any hard pieces or seeds. What you’re left with is something eerily similar to shredded chicken. I usually marinate the jackfruit overnight to make sure it’s super flavorful.

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