 We are a busy family, and this year has been no exception. Trying to juggle homeschooling, working from home full time, and building a business has been quite the task in 2020. Quick and easy vegan meals and snacks are a necessity in our household. Homemade vegan trail mix and vegan bars are essential items. When shopping for vegan bars I definitely check out the ingredients. Is there a long list of ingredients? Are they packed with added sugars, artificial additives, or artificial preservatives? Those are some of the questions I ask. Some of our favorites store bought items are Made Good Bars and Mezcla bars. They contain wholesome, non-GMO, and gluten free ingredients.  Almonds, walnuts, raisins, dates, and a sprinkle of cinnamon are all it takes to make these yummy bars. This is also a simple vegan recipe for kids to enjoy. My daughter helped me make these, and they turned out very well. Many bars today are marketed for kids and have a large amount of added sugars. People fail to realize that there is a very big difference between added sugars and natural sugars. Added sugars are added in during the processing stage, and they do not provide any nutritional value. Naturally occurring sugars in whole foods like fruit have added health benefits like fiber and antioxidants. What about the sugar in dates and raisins? The sugars in raisins occur naturally and are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. When eaten in moderation they have great health benefits. Raisins can boost iron levels, keep your bones strong, and help you with digestion. Like raisins, dates are a great alternative sweetener. Dates contain vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin C, and magnesium. They also contain antioxidants that help prevent cell damage from toxins and folate that is important in pregnancy. Dates are such a versatile and nutritious treat that can be used in everything from vegan chocolate brownies to delicious, energizing bars.  Sweet, chewy, snackable, nutritious, and only five ingredients!
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Smoothie Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 8 Ingredients:
Nutrition Info: Serving size: 1 bar Calories: 154 Fat: 4.5g Saturated Fat: 0.4g Protein: 2.5g Sugar: 23.2g Fiber: 3.4g Sodium: 63mg Carb: 33g
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 Last Christmas I bought my husband a Vitamix blender (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). I have been wearing it out, and we absolutely love it! It has allowed me to be very creative and make delicious organic smoothie recipes that I love sharing. When creating smoothies I like to not only make something that is delicious, I like to include the health benefits as well. In addition to the recipe, I have included a break down of the ingredients for this smoothie as well as the health benefits for each ingredient.  Cucumbers. Cucumbers are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The electrolytes in cucumbers can help prevent dehydration, and cucumbers are super easy to add to your diet. Enjoy them in a vegan salad, smoothie, or eat them sliced with guacamole. Red Delicious Apples. There are over 7,500 varieties of apples throughout the world, and 2,500 of those are grown in the United States. Apples are rich in fiber and can aid in digestion. Studies have shown that apples can help lower cholesterol and can also lower your chance of type 2 diabetes. Ginger. Ginger is classified as a superfood. Superfoods are foods that are thought to offer maximum nutritional benefits. Research shows that ginger helps reduce nausea and can calm an upset stomach. Ginger can also help reduce inflammation, and it has antibacterial and immune boosting properties. All of the ingredients above have a long list of health benefits, including aiding in weight loss. This is one of my favorite "slimming" smoothies. There are no added sugars, only the naturally occurring sugars in fruit. This recipe makes two servings, but you can adjust it to make more or less. My husband usually makes four 18-oz. smoothies every morning that he drinks throughout each day. Each serving in this recipe is about 16 ounces. I enjoy using fresh fruits and frozen fruits in my smoothies. I will be posting more smoothie recipes soon, and I look forward to sharing my top favorite recipes that have helped me keep off all of the weight I lost. Check out my vegan journey.  Refreshing, nutritious, and only four ingredients!
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Smoothie Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 2 Ingredients:
Did you make this recipe? Please tag me on Instagram @thesensiblevegan.  There are several meals that are in regular rotation in my weekly planning, and tofu is usually part of it. I did a previous post on the health benefits of tofu. It is extremely versatile and can transform many dishes. From vegan pizza to vegan pasta the possibilities are endless. I enjoy JUST Egg for breakfast. It makes the best breakfast sandwiches and is very delicious scrambled. On this particular day we were out of JUST Egg, so I saw a couple of packages of extra firm tofu in the fridge and decided to use that instead. I didn't really have an exact idea in mind, but I was able to turn the package of tofu into something very delicious. My husband gave the finished product a thumbs up, so I was pleased that he liked it. I quickly had to write down all of my ingredients and form them into a recipe so I wouldn't forget everything I had used. Another one of my breakfast favorites is Hilary's vegan sausages. Well...they are for breakfast, but we have been known to have them for lunch and dinner as well. After all, breakfast is fabulous any time of day! This recipe is inexpensive, quick and easy to make, and is very nutritious, too.  Savory, spicy, filling, protein-packed, and only eight ingredients!
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Breakfast Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 4 Ingredients:
Nutrition Info: Serving size: one cup Calories: 105 Fat: 4.1g Saturated Fat: 0.5g Protein: 10.5g Sugar: 1g Fiber: 2.5g Sodium: 310mg Carb: 6.5g  I get a lot of questions about raising vegan children and how to encourage children to want to try more vegan options, especially when everyone in the house is not vegan. This can seem daunting and frustrating, but fortunately there are several things you can do. When we became a vegan household my goal was to create easy, quick, and simple family recipes and kid friendly vegan recipes as well. Almost five years later this is still my goal today. My daughter has developed a great interest in creating recipes, and when she approached me about wanting to create a kids smoothie bowl, I asked her what she wanted to put in it and made sure she had all of her ingredients. When we are not creating our own vegan smoothie recipes, we love visiting Clean Juice for a great variety of organic smoothies and fresh juices as well.  I have found success in letting my daughter participate in shopping for ingredients, creating recipes, and learning to veganize some of our favorites like vegan desserts and vegan pizzas. The journey has been phenomenal, and each week brings new excitement. There are so many vegan options these days that are kid friendly and absolutely delicious. It's so fulfilling seeing her work hard creating her recipes and take pride in the finished product. It's encouraging seeing so many new vegan products in stores that are kid friendly and made with wholesome and quality ingredients. Most importantly, my daughter knows why we became vegan. She understands and is very aware about the cruelty that animals face on factory farms and knows what happens in slaughterhouses. That makes all the difference! I am a proud mom to a super smart, creative, happy, compassionate, vegan child who loves her family, loves God, and loves advocating for animals. Please contact me if you're a parent raising vegan kids. I would love to hear from you!  Tasty, simple, sweet, and only six ingredients!
Author: The Sensible Vegan's Daughter Recipe Type: Entree Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 2 Ingredients:
Nutrition Info: Serving size 1/2 bowl Calories: 143.4 Fat: 2.7g Saturated Fat: 0.8g Protein: 3.2g Sugar: 15g Fiber: 3g Sodium: 30mg Carb: 28g  As I was getting together the ingredients for everything I needed to prepare the Father's Day meal for my husband last weekend, I received the most amazing message. A dear friend of mine messaged me that she was going vegan and was asking about Mexican restaurants with vegan options in Atlanta. Needless to say I was pretty excited about this. I absolutely love Mexican food. Some of my favorite recipes on my website are vegan quesadillas and vegan burritos, and I was really looking forward to making these vegan chick'n tacos for Father's Day. Along with my vegan banana pudding they were fabulous.  Tacos are great for many reasons. They are tasty, inexpensive, family friendly, and quick and easy to make. In this recipe I used Gardein meatless chick'n strips. The flavor and texture is perfect for tacos, but you can substitute any vegan meat or even forego using mock meat and fill them with fresh veggies and a delicious sauce! Everyone in the family and your dinner guests can choose their own ingredients to customize their tacos. I love spicy foods and seasonings, but my husband and daughter don't. I usually top mine with spicy salsa, while my husband and daughter savor the mild version. Everyone wins.  Tasty, crunchy, filling, flavorful, and only five ingredients!
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Entree Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 6 Ingredients:
Nutrition Info: Serving size 2 tacos Calories: 250 Fat: 9.9 g Saturated Fat: 0.7g Protein: 10g Sugar: 0.8g Fiber: 7.8g Sodium: 367.2mg Carb: 31.5g  Meal prepping is a normal routine in our home. From veggie bowls to salads, meal prepping saves us a lot of time and money. One of my favorite prep meals is pasta. Pasta is inexpensive, loaded with protein and fiber, and can be customized into many different recipes. I usually make a large pot of pasta that typically lasts four or five days. This recipe is a family favorite.  I use Gardein chick'n strips in many recipes. It's great in vegan quesadillas as well. I just tossed them in a little avocado oil for this recipe, and they browned perfectly. They are packed with protein and can be seasoned to suit your taste. I usually add a little chili powder and lime if I am using them with tacos or burritos and saute them in a pan with onions and peppers.  Savory, cheesy, flavorful, and only eight ingredients.
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Entree Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 12 Ingredients:
Baked sprouted grain garlic bread Nutrition Info: Serving size 2 cups Calories: 416 Fat: 3.1 g Saturated Fat: 0g Protein: 13g Sugar: 5.8g Fiber: 7.3g Sodium: 195mg Carb: 60g  During this time of year I love stopping by Starbucks to get a vegan peppermint hot chocolate with coconut milk. It's one of my favorite holiday beverages, and I am so happy that Starbucks is starting to offer more vegan options. It's an occasional treat because those dollars start to add up if you're regularly spending $5 or $6 on a cup of hot chocolate. A lot of times during different holiday events at my daughter's school I have had to make vegan hot chocolate mix for her and send it to school. Last night we were at home, and I noticed that I had all of the ingredients to make our own hot chocolate so we did. I had plenty of cocoa powder left over from my vegan brownie recipe. Being that I love all things spicy, I decided to be adventurous and top mine with a pinch of cayenne pepper while my daughter watched with an I-can't-believe-you-did-that look on her face. Needless to say, the finished product was fantastic, so I wanted to share it with you! The hot chocolate is rich and sweet, and then you get the kick of cayenne. It's perfect if you like spicy drinks. If not you can certainly leave off the cayenne.  Rich, creamy, sweet, spicy, and only five ingredients.
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Drink Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 1 Ingredients:
 Granola is a staple in our home. We eat granola bars, granola bites, granola cereal, and love making our own vegan granola as well. When we're not making our own, we absolutely love Made Good products. This recipe contains some of my favorite ingredients: dates, dark chocolate, and protein powder.  People often talk about vegan food being too complicated, tedious, and expensive. One of the most inexpensive and versatile vegan foods are oats. They can be used a variety of ways, and they are nutritious and filling as well. I used gluten-free rolled oats to prepare this recipe. You can toast them before adding them to the recipe or leave them raw. I prefer leaving them raw. Dark chocolate finds its way into many of my vegan dessert recipes. It's not too sweet, packed with antioxidants, and adds the perfect touch to the granola bars. This recipe is a hit with my husband and daughter, and I hope you love it, too! I am happy to make wholesome granola for my family. In the past when I was not as mindful about ingredients and picked just any old granola off the shelves, I was basically basing it off the price of the product versus the health benefits and quality. Sadly, there are a vast number of granola products on store shelves packed with preservatives, GMO-ingredients, and a long list of other ingredients that help preserve the shelf life by being laden with chemicals. There are quite a few with "wholesome" "all-natural" and "made with whole-grain" on the packaging. These terms do not always ensure a healthy or clean product. That is a definite marketing ploy. When I started reading labels and ingredients and researching what the chemicals can do to our bodies, I woke up. I am so glad I did! For this reason I love preparing our own snacks and meals so I know exactly what I am using in my recipes.   Sweet, simple, and only five ingredients.
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Snack Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 14 Ingredients:
Nutrition Info: Serving size 1 bar Calories: 200 Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 2.5g Protein: 4g Sugar: 14g Fiber: 3.4g Sodium: 20mg Carb: 23g  We try to have a weekly pizza night at our house. My daughter loves creating her own pizza! Sometimes we order the amazing vegan pizza from Mellow Mushroom, but most of the time we like to make our own. Each time I go to the grocery store I am constantly amazed at all of the new plant based products hitting the shelves. Vegan options are in high demand, and it is very exciting to see. I love creating vegan pizza recipes, and this time I decided to try some new products.  The toppings you use on your pizza can make or break the recipe, but I believe the right crust makes all the difference. I have used several different kinds of crusts in my recipes, but when I stumbled upon this product at Whole Foods, I had no idea it would end up being my preferred crust for future pizzas. Years ago when I first became vegan I was devouring documentaries and watching as many as I could. I remember watching the Forks Over Knives Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue with Rip Esselstyn, so I was super excited to see this Engine 2 pizza crust! Rip is the Engine 2 founder. He is also a former firefighter, premier triathlete, and All-American swimmer. When he was with the Austin Fire Department, he introduced the whole foods plant based diet and helped rescue a firefighting brother's health. This birthed the best selling book, The Engine 2 Diet. In 2009 Rip teamed up with Whole Foods Market as one of their Healthy Eating Partners and continues to raise awareness about the benefits of a whole foods plant base diet through books, speaking engagements, podcasts, a phenomenal food line, and so much more. The pizza crust is excellent! It delivers the pizzeria taste with plant based, non-GMO ingredients.  Saucy, spicy, meaty, cheesy, and only seven ingredients.
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Pizza Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 3 Ingredients:
Nutrition Info: Serving size 2 slices Calories: 333 Fat: 7.7g Saturated Fat: 2.7g Protein: 12.3g Sugar: 6g Fiber: 8.7g Sodium: 573mg Carb: 49g  Thai food is currently my cuisine of preference. When we were on vacation we found several Disney vegan options, including a fabulous Thai restaurant along the way. My husband is now a fan of Thai food as well, so we have been ordering it quite frequently lately. My favorite dish is green curry. Take out costs can start adding up, so I decided to try and create my own curry. I was very happy and excited about the results, and I look forward to experimenting with other dishes and creating homemade versions. This recipe is quick, easy, nutritious and tasty. I like spicy curries, and this one is not lacking on bold, spicy flavor and heat. When you have the urge to order takeout, try this recipe! If you do not like spicy curry, you can modify the recipe for a deliciously mild version. The great thing about Thai food is the variety of vegan options. It's very easy to order vegan food at Thai restaurants. From steamed veggies to thai basil rolls you can find some really great options. I hope you enjoy this recipe!  Savory, veggie-filled, nutritious, spicy, creamy, and only six ingredients.
Author: The Sensible Vegan Recipe Type: Entree Cuisine: Vegan Serving: 4 Ingredients:
Nutrition Info: Serving size (including rice) - 1 cup Calories: 257.5 Fat: 1.76g Saturated Fat: 0g Protein: 6.8g Sugar: 3g Fiber: 6g Sodium: 230.5mg Carb: 53g |
About Tabatha JamesTabatha James is a wife, mom, and children's book author who loves creating vegan recipes with 10 ingredients or less! Vegan Categories
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