Leftover Makeover Mother's Day Edition: Key Lime Tart For Two

On Wednesday, I shared a delicious Key Lime Coconut Cashew Butter recipe with you. Tart and sweet, it's makes a great fruit dip or breakfast topping.

But what about a creamy layer to a super quick and easy tart-for-two? Put this recipe in an adorable mini dish and it makes the perfect personal Mother's Day treat for the special lady in your life.

Key Lime Tart For Two

Top Layer:
1/4 cup Key Lime Coconut Cashew Butter (recipe found here)

Crust:
1/3 cup pecans
2 tablespoons shelled pistachios
2 dates
1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the crust, blend all ingredients in a food processor until it forms a sticky consistency.

In a 3x5 ramekin (I found mine here), smooth crust into an even layer. Let chill in freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Take prepared crust out of freezer and add 1/4 cup pre-made cashew butter on top, smoothing evenly. 

Top with chopped pecans, pistachios and/or lime zest. This recipe tastes best chilled, so keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. 


Wishing all the mothers out there a lovely day filled with awesome people, delicious food and your favorite me-time activities! Happy Mother's Day!

Key Lime Coconut Cashew Butter

I'm a big fan of cashews. They're kind of every vegan's best friend, am I right? Soak those babies overnight and they will transform into a creamy cheese to add to your lasagna or a filling for your favorite pie with very little effort. What's not to love?

So when I thought about creating a recipe starring this magical little nut, I knew I wanted it to highlight the sunnier days ahead as well as inspire some double dipping at your next outdoor party. I don't mean to brag but I think I succeeded on both accounts.

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight 
3-4 Medjool dates, soaked for an hour
1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut milk or coconut cream
1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 - 1 teaspoon lime zest

After soaking, rinse cashews and dates well.

In a food processor, blend cashews, dates and shredded coconut until smooth. Add in the rest of ingredients and process until just combined. The end result should be a thick and creamy consistency, in-between a nut butter and a cream.

Serve with your choice of fresh fruit, graham crackers, pretzels, etc. and dip away!

Makes 1 cup cashew butter

This would also be amazing as a topping for your favorite oatmeal or waffle recipe. I can't wait to try it on top of my pumpkin pancakes tomorrow morning! 

In our house, there are always at least three different kind of nut butters in our fridge. In fact when I run out of almond butter, I kind of panic.  Does that make me a total weirdo? Do you have a similar obsession? Make me feel better about myself and tell me all about it!

A Celebratory Recipe: Blueberry Sunshine Loaf

It's May! It's sunny! Life is good again!

When the weather warms up and the sun sticks around for hours on end, I'm instantly happier.  And what better way to celebrate that happiness than to throw a bunch of my favorite things into one recipe?

On a whim, I decided I needed something sweet and wholesome to snack on while I did some sunbathing and reading yesterday afternoon. I also didn't want to run to the store so it had to be made up of readily available ingredients.

Enter "The Blueberry Sunshine Loaf."

Blueberries, almonds, coconut and banana make up this delicious treat. And no added sugar to boot! Let's get started already.


Blueberry Sunshine Loaf

Flax Egg:
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
6 tablespoons water

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal
1 cup spelt flour (or your flour of choice)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt


Wet Ingredients:
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup coconut or almond milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon almond extract
Optional: 1 tablespoon liquid sweetener (agave, maple syrup or date syrup)

Add-ins:
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Toppings:
1/2 tablespoon shredded coconut
1 tablespoon sliced or chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

Add ground flaxseed and water together and mix. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. 

In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients and flaxseed egg. Once mixed, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until just combined.  

Fold in 1 cup blueberries and 1/4 cup shredded coconut.  

Scoop mixture into pan, making sure to spread evenly. Top with more shredded coconut and sliced almonds. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  

Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Throwback Chickpea "Tuna" Salad

"Kids should be seen and not heard."

We are all familiar with that old saying, right? Well, this recipe is kind of like that except for it should be eaten and not seen. Hey, not all of us can be beauty queens.

Nope, this recipe certainly isn't very photogenic but I promise you it's very tasty.

I adapted this recipe from a very foggy memory of my mother's classic tuna salad sandwich she made me for many weekend lunches when I was a little one. I'm not sure if I nailed it but I am pretty proud of the flavor combination. It's got something for everyone: sweet, tart and savory.

I kept the dressing pretty simple, making sure to give it a nice balance of creamy and sweet and then mixed in some delicious chickpeas, sweet apple and carrots and a little bit of pickle for a special surprise. If the pickles scare you, I totally understand - omit that stuff or add them on later while assembling your sandwich or wrap.

And now on to the recipe!

Dressing:
1/3 cup vegan mayo
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tsp agave or maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder with parsley (or 1/8 teaspoon each)
Pepper to taste


"Tuna" Mix
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small apple (a little over 1/2 cup), diced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped
Optional: 1/4 cup sweet or dill pickles, finely chopped

For the dressing: In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together until combined.

In a large bowl, add rinsed chickpeas and dressing. Mix together with a fork, smashing about half of the  chickpeas until mixture is a chunky consistency. Add apple, walnuts, carrot and pickles and mix until everything is coated with the dressing. Spread on whole grain bread or a tortilla wrap and top with greens.

Bonus tip: Let salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour before eating - this gives the flavors time to marinate together and the result is extra delicious.



Since becoming vegan or vegetarian, are there any recipes you have recreated from childhood? Did you nail it or was it a big ol' disaster? I've had my fair share of both.