Tag: vegan

Blueberry Multigrain Pancakes – Vegan and Gluten Free

Blueberry Multigrain Pancakes – Vegan and Gluten Free

I found this blueberry multigrain pancakes recipe when I first started on my WFPB diet. I’ve changed it over time to make it my own. I love deconstructing and remaking recipes to fit my needs. This recipe is vegan and gluten free. It has oats, 

Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes (Oil Free)

Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes (Oil Free)

Fresh strawberries are so delicious in the summer. When I go to the local farmers market, I always look for the ripest strawberries. I have also taken my grandkids to pick strawberries and they eat as many as they pick. These strawberries are so sweet. 

Oil Free Vegan Chick Burgers

Oil Free Vegan Chick Burgers

These oil free vegan chick burgers oil are my favorite! The recipes makes 12 burgers, and they are great to take as a lunch on the go. I put all my favorite toppings on them including ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions and arugula. You can reheat them in the oven, airfryer (4 minutes at 400 degrees) or even in the microwave. They taste similar to a potato pancake.

Get Your Ingredients:

Vegan Chick Burgers
  • 6 medium potatoes
  • 1 cupcooked brown rice
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas
  • 1 cup of old fashioned oats
  • 2 Tablespoons nutrional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
  • 1 diced onion

Let’s start cooking delicious Oil Free Vegan Chick Burgers

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cook 1 cup of brown rice according to the directions. This usually takes between 20-45 minutes. While the rice is cooking, Cut up the potatoes into chunks and place in a pan of hot water. I like to leave the skin on for extra nutrients. Red, yellow or new potatoes have softer skin, but I have also made these with regular white potatoes. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until a fork slides out easily. Drain and mash with a potato masher, but do not puree. Rinse the chickpeas and add them to your food processor. Then add 1 cup of oats, cooked rice, 2 tsps. of poultry seasoning and 1 diced onion. Mix until combined. Then add to the mashed potatoes and mix well.

Vegan Chick Burgers

I like using my hands to make the patties. I wet my hands before making each patty. Scoop up a handful of mixture and press into a round thin shape. Put the patties on a silpat on a cookie sheet. I get 9-12 patties depending on how big you make them. Put them in your preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes and then turn them over and cook for another 20 minutes. I like them golden brown. Keep them in the fridge or they will even last frozen in your freezer. I like to cook them for 4 minutes in the airfryer the next day to keep them crispy. They also taste good cold for lunch on the run or at work. Here is an airfryer I like from Amazon – https://a.co/d/e8EXJ5g

Vegan Chick Burgers

Enjoy!

Vegan Chick Burgers

Vegan Chick Burgers

These chick burgers are my favorite! The recipes makes 9 to 12 burgers, and they are great to take as a lunch on the go. I put all my favorite toppings on them including ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions and arugula.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 5
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 6 med potatoes
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 15oz Chickpeas – canned
  • 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tsp poultry seasonng
  • 1 med diced onion

Equipment

  • 1 Food processor a blender will also work
  • 1 silpat
  • 1 cookie sheet
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 mixing bowl

Notes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cook 1 cup of brown rice according to the directions. This usually takes between 40-45 minutes. While the rice is cooking, Cut up the potatoes into chunks and place in a pan of hot water. I like to leave the skin on for extra nutrients. Red, yellow or new potatoes have softer skin, but I have also made these with regular white potatoes. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until a fork slides out easily. Drain and mash with a potato masher, but do not puree. Rinse the chickpeas and add them to your food processor. Then add 1 cup of oats, cooked rice, 2 tsps. of poultry seasoning and 1 diced onion. Mix until combined.
Then add to the mashed potatoes and mix well. I like using my hands to make the patties. I wet my hands before making each patty. Scoop up a handful of mixture and press into a round thin shape. Put the patties on a silpat on a cookie sheet. I get 9-12 patties depending on how big you make them. Put them in your preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes and then turn them over and cook for another 20 minutes. I like them golden brown. Keep leftovers in the fridge or you may freeze them. For leftovers, I like to warm them up in an airfryer for 4-5 minutes to make them crispy. They are also good cold for lunch on the go.

Another great sandwich is my vegan bbq sandwich. https://susansveganjourney.com/vegan-bbq-sandwich/

Vegan Oil Free Chick Salad Sandwich

Vegan Oil Free Chick Salad Sandwich

One of my favorite lunches is my vegan, oil-free chick salad sandwich. You can eat it as a stand alone sandwich or as a salad. My favorite whole wheat buns are Ezekiel Sprouted Multigrain buns. Here is a link to Amazon- https://a.co/d/iTfuIpJ to see what 

Susan’s Vegan Oil Free Black Bean Burgers

Susan’s Vegan Oil Free Black Bean Burgers

I’ve tried making several versions of black bean burgers and Susan’s vegan oil free black bean burgers are my favorite. This recipe is my own version based on making a number of different recipes over time. I usually cook the rice when I’m making breakfast. 

Crispy Chick Nuggets

Crispy Chick Nuggets

One of the reasons I love these crispy chick nuggets is the crunchy sound they make when I bite into them. I also love the flavor of the chick peas and onions mixed together. I have used them for appetizers, lunch and also dinner. You can take them for lunch when you are out and about as they taste good cold. My favorite dipping sauce is ketchup though, my husband and grandkids like BBQ sauce. I think spicy brown mustard would also be good. In addition, I have served them with salad and veggies as a dinner too. Lastly, they are easy to make. I often make the brown rice ahead of time when I’m making breakfast, so that later in the day, all I have to do is grab all the ingredients and blend them up before popping them in the oven.

Get your Ingredients for those crispy chick nuggets:

Crispy Chick Nuggets
  • 2 Cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 15 oz cans of chickpes or garbanzo beans
  • 1 medium diced onion
  • 4 cloves diced garlic
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/3 Cup lime juice
  • 1/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 container Panko Bread Crumbs

Let’s Get Cooking:

Crispy Chick Nuggets mixture
Nuggets mixture
  • Cook 2/3 cups of your favorite brown rice to make 2 cups of cooked rice. You can use short grain, long grain or basmatti brown rice. I’ve used all varieties. Sometimes I use what I have in the kitchen pantry. They all seem to work fine.
  • Drain and rinse 2 cans of garbanzo beans or chick peas
  • In your food processor, add 2 cups of cooked brown rice, chickpeas, diced onions, garlic, turmeric, pepper, lime juice and nutritional yeast. Blend in processor until mixed together. You may need to use a spatula to push down the big pieces until it is all blended together.
Crispy Chick Nuggets mixture
all mixed up

This is one of my favorite food processors : (https://a.co/d/asrDTDo ) Ninja food processor on Amazon

  • Put your silpat on the cookie sheet and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Get a wide bowl and add some panko bread crumbs. Wide bowls are easier to use by making it easier to roll the nuggets in it.
  • Wet your hands and using the spatula scoop a small amount of mixture into your hands and roll into about a 2 inch size nugget.
 Nuggets mixture
Nuggets rolled in panko crumbs

Ready to Bake:

  • Roll the nuggets in the panko bread crumbs and place on the cookie sheet.
Nuggets ready to bake
Nuggets ready to bake
  • Bake in the over for 20 minutes and then turn the nuggets over and then I bake them another 20 minutes.
  • This recipe makes enough for my husband and I to eat three meals. I like to leave the leftover mixture in a plastic container and, make another batch for our the meal the next day, The mixture will last for at least 4 days in the fridge.
  • You can also make all of the nuggets at one time. They also taste delicious reheated for 4 minutes at 400 degrees in the airfryer. That makes them nice and crispy.
  • Pick your favorite toppings for the chick nuggets. For example, I use Aldi organic ketchup because it is low in sugar. It’s your choice for added flavor. I use the tumeric for color and always throw in a little black pepper as turmeric and black pepper go well together. I prefer to use plain bread crumbs, plus panko crumbs make the chick nuggets even crunchier. You can use regular breadcrumbs for less crunch.

Enjoy These Crispy Chick Nuggets with your favorite vegetables:

Crispy Chick Nuggets
Crispy Chick Nuggets are vegan and oil free.

In addition, these nuggets also pair well with my Tomato Basil Soup. https://susansveganjourney.com/vegan-tomato-basil-soup/

Crispy Chick Nuggets

Crispy Chick Nuggets

Crispy Vegan chickpea and brown rice nuggets are easy to make
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
  • 2 15 oz cans of chickpes or garbanzo beans
  • 1 medium diced onion
  • 4 cloves diced garlic
  • 1 tsp tumeric
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/3 Cup lime juice
  • 1/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 container Panko Bread Crumbs
  • BBQ Sauce, Ketchup or any dipping sauce

Equipment

  • 1 Food processor
  • 1 silpat
  • 1 sauce pan with lid
  • 1 cookie sheet
  • 1 wide mouth bowl
  • 1 rubber spatula

Method
 

  1. Cook 2/3 cups of your favorite brown rice to make 2 cups of cooked rice
  2. Drain and rinse 2 cans of garbanzo or chick peas
  3. In your food processor add 2 cups of cooked brown rice, chickpeas, diced onions, garlic, turmeric, pepper, lime juice and nutritional yeast. Blend in processor until fairly well mixed together. You may need to use a spatula to push down the big pieces until it is all blended together.
  4. Put your silpat on the cookie sheet and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  5. Get a wide bowl and add some panko bread crumbs. Wide bowls are easier to use so you can roll the nuggets in it.
  6. Wet your hands and using the spatula scoop a small amount of mixture into your hands and roll into about a 2 inch size nugget.
  7. Roll the nuggets in the panko bread crumbs and place on the cookie sheet.
  8. Bake in the over for 20 minutes, then turn over and bake another 20 minutes.
  9. This recipe makes enough for my husband and I to eat 3 meals. I like to leave the leftover mixture in a plastic container and make the next batch for our the meal the next day. Will last for at least 4 days in the fridge.
  10. You can also make all of them up at once and they taste delicious reheated for 4 minutes at 400 degrees in the airfryer. That makes them nice and crispy.

Notes

You can use short grain, long grain or basmatti brown rice. I’ve used all varieties. Sometimes I use what I have in the kitchen pantry. They all seem to work fine.
Pick your favorite toppings for the chick nuggets. I use Aldi organic Ketchup because it is low in sugar and Dortmunder Gold BBQ sauce. It’s your choice for added flavor.
I use the tumeric for color and always throw in a little black pepper as tumeric and black pepper go well together.
I prefer plain bread crumbs and panko crumbs make the chick nuggest even crunchier. You can use regular breadcrumbs too.

Vegan Cabbage Rolls

Vegan Cabbage Rolls

One of my Mom’s favorite meals were cabbage rolls. So I am creating vegan cabbage rolls, by using brown and wild rice as a substitute for the hamburger. I also like using chopped onion mixed in with the rice. I find that rice give it 

Vegan Oil Free Chocolate Donuts

Vegan Oil Free Chocolate Donuts

These vegan oil free chocolate donuts are surprisingly light and moist. Who knew when I became vegan I could make WFPB donuts that are healthy with less sugar and no oil, compared with store bought vegan donuts. I love using the donut silicon molds. In 

Exercising at the Gym

Exercising at the Gym

Gary and I have been exercising at the gym at Planet Fitness since Nov. 2021. I started out in their 30 minute room and have now graduated to the machines in the big room. One of the things I like about the big room is the variety of machines. For example, several of these machines have separate arms for either doing the exercise with one or both arms. I found that one arm is slightly stronger than the other one, so now I can make sure that both arms are getting a good workout.

Exercising at the Gym Susans Vegan Journey
Using both arms together.
Susans Vegan Journey
Giving both arms a workout!

Stay Motivated by Exercising at the Gym:

Getting motivated to go to the gym is hard if you are not working out regularly. Once you start, the good feeling you get from your workout keeps you going back to the gym. Gary and I use Planet Fitness because it is close to our house and we can use it anywhere in the US. Which will be great for us when we travel. Being close to the gym is also a motivator, since I can’t use the excuse, “I don’t have time to drive round trip to the gym and workout.”

I’m staying motivated by changing up my exercise routine. I am using different equipment every time I go to the gym, plus sometimes I do a routine with free weights. One of my favorite free weight exercises is doing bicep curls while doing lunges. Two different body exercises at the same time makes my workout go a little faster.

Don’t Forget the Cardio

My favorite way to get my cardio in my workout is to do a high intensity workout where I monitor my heartrate while doing my weight workout. When I get to the gym, I use a cardio machine such as the elliptical, row machine, bicycle, or treadmill for 10-15 minutes. This helps me get my heart rate up and once I get my heart rate up, I can usually keep it up while doing my weight workout. I like to do one set on a machine and then go to the next machine for another set. Then I go back to the first machine for another set. I don’t take a break in between sets. Then I switch between, for example, arms and legs, so I don’t overstress any particular muscle set at once.

Yoga Is Important Too!

I’ve taken yoga classes in the past and though Planet Fitness doesn’t offer yoga classes, I’ve incorporated some yoga moves into my exercise routine. I like doing the Tree Pose and Airplane for balance. Childs Pose, Pigeon, and Downward Dog are all good for stretching, to name a few. I’m still on the hunt for a good YouTube yoga class, I can do at home.

FYI I am not a doctor or physical therapist, I just find this workout works for me. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking of starting at the gym.

Come join us at the gym!

Oil and Nut Free Brownies

Oil and Nut Free Brownies

Brownies are a great dessert. I love the rich chocolate taste. I couldn’t believe how delicious black bean brownies could taste. The idea of eating black beans in a brownie, didn’t sound appealing, but I could not have been more wrong. I searched for an