10 Essential Vegan Fall Recipes

 

 

Fall is a time of family, thanksgiving and ( most importantly) FOOD! Over the years, I have gathered quite a few delicious and vegan fall-inspired recipes! Here is a collection of my favorites, perfect for Thanksgiving, fall-parties, or simple family dinners!

Sugar and Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Halloween was this week and that means lots of leftover pumpkin 'guts', leftover from jack o'lantern carving. Instead of throwing away those seeds, turn them into a delicious and healthy snack for everyone to enjoy?

Fall Inspired Vegan Puppy Chow

     This fall-flavored puppy chow is the perfect sweet snack, party dish, or on the go sweet treat! Its chocolatey, peanut buttery and (best of all) full of delicious fall flavors! This Vegan recipe is one you don't want to miss out on!

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

     Fall has arrived and with it comes so many delicious flavors! This fall inspired, Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake is the perfect thing to get you in the mood for the fall season! Complete with a vegan cream cheese frosting, everyone is sure to love this easy dessert!

Vegan Dirty Chai Lattee Muffins

    The past few weeks, I have been obsessed with coconut chai lattes! The flavors just scream 'fall' to me! So, I decided to put the flavors I love from Chai tea into some delicious muffins!

Shopping Vegan at Costco

     With a large family, we shop at Costco is a must for us. Since I've gone Vegan, I learned quiet a bit about what is vegan ( and what's not) at Costco!

5 Tips for Staying Healthy During the Holidays

     The Holiday season is upon us! Thanksgiving is in a few days and not long after that is Christmas and the New Year! This means a constant flow of desserts, treats, sweets, indulgent meals and lots of it! And while this food is delicious and fun to enjoy, after several weeks of indulging because 'its the holidays', you probaly aren't going to be feeling very festive!

     If you strive to eat fairly healthy, as I am sure you do, seeing as you are reading this blog, then the Holiday season might be a bit stressful for you. You might worry about hurting your friend's or family's feelings by turning down their desserts, cheeseballs or candies. What about all those parties and special gatherings you are sure to be invited to? You could just put your healthy lifestyle on hold for the holidays, which is expected by most people and completly understandable..or you might deicde to tough it out and stick to your ideals as much as possible.  I am a vegan, which, to me, isn't a 'diet' that I turn off and on, but its a lifestyle change, which means I am going to eat vegan during the holidays. How am I going to do this? Keep reading to find out!

#1 Learn to Cook!
    Makeing your own food is a sure way to insure that you will be eating the way you want to. Make your own cookies, cakes, breads and candies (or don't) to fit your diet, and enjoy those when your friends and family are enjoy theirs! Offer to bring a dish to a dinner party or potluck ( don't be shy! This is often a blessing to the host or hostess!) or at least ask the host/hostess if there will be any dishes suited for you at the gathering. If so, rejoice! If not, then plan to bring your own dish! Its really not that diffiucult, it justs takes some planning! I have several great recipes that are perfect to make during the holidays and share with your friends and family!

Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Brownie Batter Balls
Sweet Potato Casserole
Easy Holiday Truffles
Harvest Salad
Pumpkin Muffin Tops
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

#2 Practice Moderation!
     One thing about the holidays is, they don't last forever..so, if you want to indulge a little, let yourself...just in moderation. Having a small piece of pie or one cookie every few days or so isn't going to hurt you! On Thanksgiving Day, when people usuing gorge themselves with a huge feast, just practice portion control and you will be just fine! Take a small serving of the dishes you like and you will have a delicious, well portioned meal and feel much better afterwards than if you had eaten multiple portions of everything! This can be applied to any meal really. If don't want to miss out on the food, then just eat a small bit of it and enjoy it!

# 3 Stay Active!
     There is nothing better to do during the holidays then getting some exercise! No matter what your diet is, or whether you are sticking to it during the holidays or not, being active is never a bad idea! It helps with digestion after a big meal and burn off some of those extra calories! You don't even have to spend a lot of time working out either! A simple jog or walk around the neighborhood, or doing some home exercises like pilates or yoga is enough to be beneficial! It can be fun too! If you have family or friends staying with you (or you are staying with them) invite them to come along with you! Company always makes exercising more fun!

 

Here are a few links to my blog posts where I have great workouts, link to workouts and exercising ideas!

Fall in Love with Fitness
Everyday Activities+Workouts 
'Love Yourself' Workout 
Pilates 
Daily Workouts 
Workout Video 



#4 Be Verbal!
     You can't expect people to underand your food choices if you don't explain it to them! Let people know that you are trying to eat healthier, have smaller portions, cut out certain foods or have a food allergy. This way, they know what to make when they ask you to a meal, or even help you find food to eat at a party or potluck. I have found this helpful so many times! If you tell people how you like/need to eat, then most likely they will make sure you always have something to eat, and will understand when you refuse certain foods!

#5 Eat at Home
     When you are vegan (or are following any other diet or lifestyle) it can be difficult to find things to eat at restuarants, parties and other people's houses. If you know you can't eat at a cetain place, or you aren't sure, then I suggest eating ahead of time. Instead of sitting there, hungry and wishing you could eat something, you can be full and able to participate joyfully! Don't let this make you feel left out! Accept that you eat differently that other people, and move on!  Also, I wouldn't suggest making a big deal about it either! This can make people( especially the host/hostess) feel bad or even kind of angry! Make yourself some delicious food, suited to your needs, and eat it at home before you go to the party (or where ever you are going) and enjoy yourself without stressing about the food situation!

     I hope these tips have helped you! I know that I find them pretty helpful! Eating healthy during the holidays doesn't mean your a snob or that you don't care about the holidays, it just means that you prize your health over a cookie or piece of pie! Apply these tips during the holiday season and you won't have to lose your 'holiday weight' or get back on track come January!

Share this post with your friends and family to help everyone staying healthier during the holidays! Sharing this post and my blog will help spread the message of living a healthy lifestyle, so please share to inspire others to live a healthier life!

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Happy Holidays to you and stay healthy, happy and laughing!

Hannah

Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Pie + Coconut Oil Crust

     Halloween is just a few days away and pumpkins are everywhere! This can only mean one thing....PUMPKN PIE!!! I love pumpkin pie and every year I cannot wait to make them! This recipe is different because it has a bit of a pecan-pie topping on it! Its super delicious, totally vegan and perfect for Fall!

    Most pumpkin pie recipes call for evaporated milk and/or eggs, but this recipe doesn't need either one! It has very few ingredients, but a ton of flavor! I love the addition of pecans on the top because it has great texture to the pie! The crust is the flakiest vegan crust I've ever made or tried! Its great for pies, cobblers, or pie-crust cookies!

Ingredients:
(Crust)
1 1/4 c Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/2  cup Coconut Oil (Solid)
3-4 TBS Cold Water

(Filling)
1 15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree
1/2 c Maple Syrup
3 TBS Flour
2 TBS Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 c Almond Milk

(Topping)
3 TBS Coconut Oil
3/4 c Pecans
1/2 c Brown Sugar
4 TBS Maple Syrup
2 TBS Flour
Pinch of Salt

     Start by making the crust. Make sure the coconut oil is fairly solid, you don't want it to be liquid at all. Mix the dry ingredients together and then use a fork to 'cut' the coconut oil into the flour-mix.

    Then, slowly add the cold water until a dough forms. Place it in the fridge while we move on to the pumpkin pie filling!

     Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix it well. The coconut oil here can be melted or at room temp.

 

     Keep in mind that, the more pumpkin pie spice you add, the darker the pie will be. I added quite a bit, so my pie is fairly dark, but extra flavorful!

     Now, its time to roll out the dough! Roll it out to fit your greased pie dish on a floured surface. Then, place the dough into the pie pan and clean up the edges.

 

It doesn't have to be perfect, rustic is pretty too! Now, pour in the pumpkin pie filling.

     You could bake it right now, but this is a pumpkin PECAN pie, so we aren't done yet! Lets make the pecan topping now!

     Melt the coconut oil, maple syrup and brown sugar together. Then add in the salt, flour and pecans. It works best if the pecans are chopped or broken up just a bit.  Add it on top of the pie as evenly as you can.

    Now its time to bake! Set the oven to 425 F and bake for 60-90 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean!

    Allow to cool before slicing! I love my pumpkin pie served warm with a cup of coffee, but most people like it cold with a scoop of ice-cream(coconut would be really good!)!

     I hope you have enjoyed this recipe post! Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite pies, so I hope you find this recipe as delicious as I did! I think the pecans add something different and really delicious to this traditional pie!

Please share this with your friends and family to make sure everyone has a great pumpkin pie recipe this season!

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I post every Friday! Have a Happy Halloween!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Fall Fruit and Vegetables

     Fall is here in Tennessee, and I am loving every bit of it! The weather is so much nicer, the trees are beautiful, and the days are getting shorter! I am also loving all the wonderful fruits and vegetables that are coming in season! The fruit and veg that are in season now are so great, that I'm not missing the summer fruits( well, maybe just a little (: )

 

It is important to buy fruits and vegetables in season for many reasons. (1) They taste so much better! They are usually grown more locally and probably not in a green house, but out in the open (how it should be!). (2) They are more often than not, cheaper than the fruit and veg grown out of season. (3) You usually can find in-season fruit and veggies at your local farmer's market. Local food is always a good choice!

From mid-September through mid-December, there are a large variety of fruits and vegetables that are in season! Here are a list of a lot of the amazing fresh fruits and vegetables that should be staples in you fall/winter diet!

Arugula- Great in salads or on pizza!

Broccoli- Amazing fresh, simply steamed, or roasted!

Brussels Sprouts- These are  great fresh, steamed, or roasted!

Cauliflower- (Love this one!) Eat it raw, steam it, roast it, or make a pizza crust!

Chiles- Perfect for spicing up just about anything!

Coconut- Perfect for smoothies, soups, or on their own!

Collards- Steamed, Sautéed, or in a Salad

Cranberries- Make in to jam, jelly, sauce,...

Fennel- Sauté , add to soups or stews, or even veggie stock

Grapes- I mean, who needs to be told what to do with grapes? :)

Kale- Perfect in a salad, add to a soup, or make kale chips( tip: try to get baby kale for a soften leaf!)

Limes- Make limeade, use to flavor just about anything, or have it in some water!

Pears- Great on their own, with some almond butter, steamed, roasted, baked, on a pizza.....

Pomegranates- Delicious in salads, smoothies, or in desserts!

Pumpkin- Carve them yes, but eat them too! Roast, bake, stew, steam, puree, make a pie!

Swiss Chard- Perfect in a salad, sautéed, steamed, in a noodle salad!

Winter Squash- Amazing roasted, stewed, on a pizza, in a soup, sautéed, as a pasta sauce....

Apples- Eat them plain, with nut butters, make a pie, roast, bake, use in a stew!

Beets- Put them in your smoothie, boil them, steam them, roast them, put them in a salad!

Carrots- Perfect just raw, roasted, baked, sautéed, boiled, in a stew, on a salad, or in a soup!

Sweet Potatoes-(Love these!) Bake, roast, puree, put in a soup, make sweet potato pumpkins!

 

     These are just an example of the wonderful fruits and vegetables that are in season during the fall and into winter months. Take note, that these are the fruits and vegetables that are in season where they are grown natively. For example, coconut is in season during the fall months, but not everywhere, just where they are natively grown. Buying what is in season in your area is the best thing, but as a rule, try to only buy fruits and veggies that are in season wherever they are grown. This assures that the fruit and vegetables will have the best taste,(often) best price, and be more nutritious than those grown in a green house and off-season!

I hope this post gives you a better idea of what is in season during the fall months. Make sure to check into your local farmer's market and hopefully you can find some fresh, in-season produce there!

Please share this post with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living and help those you love become healthier!

You can follow the blog via email, on Google, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett, and on Twitter @ SpinachisGood. Please follow the blog to stay up to date on the posts!

New post every Friday! Stay tuned for more healthiness!

Keep healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Scary Pumpkin Potaotes!

Happy Halloween! 

     These is nothing scary about these adorable pumpkin sweet potatoes expect that they are Scary Delicious! They are a great way to get in the mood of the upcoming holiday, and still have something healthy!

 

   I love these pumpkin sweet potatoes because they are so easy to make, customizable to whatever flavors you want, and so healthy too! Who says Halloween 'treats' all have to be unhealthy? At first I wanted to do something sweet and healthy to celebrate Halloween, but then I got to thinking....Halloween doesn't have to be all about the sweet stuff! Lets do something savory to celebrate the holiday!
Another great thing about these sweet potatoes is that they can be made vegan, oil-free, and sodium free if you wish!

Scary Sweet Potatoes! (Yes, sweet potatoes are sweet, but more to the savory side of things!)

1 Sweet Potato
Olive Oil (Optional)
Salt and Pepper (Optional)
Seasonings of Choice( I used a Jerk Seasoning, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and a Curry Powder- separate on different slices of potato)

You can go sweet, spicy, savory, or salty with the seasonings!

Start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Then wash and pat dry a sweet potato. You can always do more than one, I was just making 1 portion at the time! :) Then, use a sharp knife and cut slices out of the potato. BE CAREFUL!

 

Then, use a smaller knife to make the pumpkin faces. You can cut all the way through the potato, or you can just cut part of the way through. Its up to you really! :) Then toss them in the oil( if using) and place them on a foil-lined sheet.

I'm sure with practice, my pumpkin faces will improve! These are so tasty, I am sure I will be making them time and time again!

Sprinkle the seasonings on the slices. If you are using a powder, rub the powder in a bit. Then sprinkle on salt and pepper as desired.

Super cute! Now they are ready to bake! Place them in the oven for around 35-45 minutes. The time depends on how thin or thick you cut your slices. To check if they are done, just poke them with a fork. If they are soft, then they're done!

Of my goodness! How adorable are these? No, not a scary way to celebrate Halloween but defiantly fun and festive! And, if you don't celebrate Halloween, they still are fun and easy to use for a number of different occasions!

I hope you enjoyed the Halloween inspired blog post! If you try this recipe, let m know what you thought! Please share this post with your family and friends to spread the love of healthy living!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett. Please like and follow the blog to stay up to date on all things healthy!

New Post Every Friday! Happy Halloween!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Pumpkin Muffin Tops!

These are the kind of muffin tops that you do want! :) They are healthy, soft, pumpkin-y, spiced, and delicious! Also, they can be made completely Vegan!

 

   Fall is officially here, and with it comes pumpkin flavored everything! Most of the popular Fall treats aren't that great for you, but thankfully there are some great healthy choices too! These muffin tops are the perfect example, since they are both healthy and plenty pumpkin-y to satisfy your fall cravings and keep you feeling great at the same time!

   I am calling these muffin tops because I baked them in a ( leaf and pumpkin shaped) whoopee pie pan, so they are a bit thinner than muffins. I love the way they turned out! Beautiful fall shapes, super moist and soft, and a great serving size to help you not over eat!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2-3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 Tbsp Ground Flaxseeds
8 Tbsp Water
1/2 cup Coconut Oil- room tempt.
1/2 cup Honey(or Maple Syrup if you want to keep this completely Vegan)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/4 tsp Salt

First, we need to make our Flax Eggs! We aren't using eggs in the recipe, so that it can be Vegan( if you use the maple syrup)! If you've never made a flax egg, don't be scared of them! They are super simple!

Add your ground flax to a bowl and add in the water. Stir well- you'll notice it go really thick. Leave it to the side while we get on with the recipe.

Add the flour, pie spice( or cinnamon), baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine. Then add in the rest of the ingredients, including the flax egg.

 

Stir well, making sure to mix the flax egg in well. Then, grease a pan and spoon in your batter. If you don't have a whoopee pie pan, you can use mini muffin tins, regular muffin tins or a 8x8 baking pan.

I wanted to use my whoopee pie pan because of the fall shapes! :)

 

Make sure to press the batter into all the little corners. I like to give the pan a little tap on the counter to help it settle.
Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes for the whoopee pan and mini muffin tins. For the regular muffins or 8x8 baking pan, 12-15 minutes. To check that they're done, just stick a tooth pick in the center. If it comes out clean, they are done! Also, they will smell really good!

 

Let them cool for 5-6 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Eat them fresh from the oven, or store them in an air tight container for a few day- but I doubt they last that long! I love how festive, delicious, pumpkin-y, healthy, and cute these little muffin tops are!

I enjoyed my(1st) tasting with a warm cup of coffee and a good book! They are the perfect afternoon snack, dessert, and they are even healthy enough to have for breakfast!

I really hope you try these delicious and healthy fall treats! If you like them, please share this post with a friend and family member to help them celebrate fall on the healthy side!

Please follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett, and now on Tumblr @ Justrunningforfood.

New post every Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

 

Healthy Snack Ideas

 Snacks are something that can be either a healthy, beneficial small meal...or a diet-crashing, nutrient-void and unhealthy choice. Learning the difference and choosing the right snacks can be the difference between a healthy and unhealthy diet!

 

Healthy snacks can seem time-consuming or hard, but once you get a few basics, they can be so easy! I have a few favorites and a few go-to-s and I want to share those with you!

Fruit
This might seem like a no-brainer, but most people don't eat enough fruit! Try to eat at least one piece of fruit a day( an apple of day....) Fruits like apples, bananas and oranges are great for on-the-go snacks. Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are great snacks too, just no super-portable!

Frozen Fruit
Easy my favorite summer-time snack, frozen fruit is amazing! No, not super-potable, but its a great snack to have at home. My favorites are mangoes( its like eating sorbet!), pineapple, and blueberries!

Nut Butters
Nut butters are a great snack, especially paired with fruit like apples and pears! When choosing a nut butter, make sure the ingredient list is limited to nuts only ( salt is fine as well).  You can even put it in a tiny container and take an apple along with you for a on-the-go snack!

Lara Bars
I love Lara Bars! They are super portable, so they make great snacks! Also, their ingredient list is amazingly sort and healthy! They are made from many fruit and nuts, and come in so many flavors! My favorites are Apple Pie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Cashew Cookie.

Boom Chicka Pop!
Popcorn might not be the first thing you think of for healthy snacks, but it can be a perfectly healthy choice! Boom-Chicka-Pop is a great brand of pre-popped popcorn. The ingredient list is short: Popcorn, Sunflower oil, and sea salt. Also, it only has 35 calories per cup! Put it in a zip-lock or container and take it with you for a great and healthy snack!

Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are another portable snack idea. As long as the dried fruits don't have added sugars and additives/chemicals, they are perfectly healthy for you! Add them to a trail-mix or eat them alone for a great snack! My favorites are raisins, cranberries, pineapple and mangoes!

Nuts
Nuts are great to eat for a energy and protein boost! My favorites are cashews, almonds and pecans! you can add them to a trail-mix or eat them by themselves! Just remember, portion sizes really matters with these, so keep an eye on how much you eat in one sitting!

Seeds
These might seem like a salad topping, add to bread and muffins type of thing, but they make great snacks too! My favorites are sunflower and pumpkin! You can get them roasted, salted or raw, so try a few to find your favorites!

So, those are a few of my favorite healthy snacks! I hope you enjoyed this post and that it was helpful for you! If you liked this post, please share it with a friend and family member to spread the love of healthy living!
You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

New post every Monday and Friday!

H. Banana