Category / Recipes

Take a browse of the many options to try for yourself or your family. Here you will find not only dinner recipes but desserts, appetizers, and drinks of all kinds. Majority of these recipes are ones that I and my family has tried and found it to be a favorite. Though I mostly eat plant based now, I will still share my favorites from the past. Try a new recipe today from Chatty Chansa’s favorites.

by Chantel Chansa

Vegan/Plant-based Alfredo Spaghetti

This recipe here is absolutely delicious, period. Even if you are not vegan, I believe you would enjoy it. It is a must to make and you can determine its worth. A few days ago, my mom was scrummaging through recipes and reading out loud ones that she thought she and my dad would like. She did read quite a few that sounded delicious, but this one stood out. Probably because I love mushrooms, and we had some in the fridge that needed to be used. There are steps to do, but nothing hard to achieve. You will need a blender or food processor. You will also need to soak the cashews for at least a couple hours prior to use. Unless you blanche them or soak overnight. Other than that, it is pretty easy.

The sauce is made from cashews. I have had a cashew alfredo sauce before, but this one was far tastier than the one I had previously. This one was smooth, almost like a buttery taste, with a hint of nuttiness. I am pretty picky when it comes to alfredo and spaghetti sauces. I’d much rather make my own. Before I went dairy free, I made my own alfredo with heavy cream and/or cream cheese. Now, with the tomato spaghetti sauce I now make the homemade-marinara-stash.

As I mentioned in my first paragraph about how even non-vegans would enjoy this recipe, I want to briefly explain where the protein comes in. Whether you add an animal protein or not is up to you. In this recipe you get your protein mainly from the cashews and mushrooms. Spinach has 5.3g for four cups in this recipe and the mushrooms have 4.4g . The cashews have 24g for one cup which is what this recipe calls for. So, as you can see, all this protein adds up to a total of 33.7g. That’s a good amount of protein coming just from three plant sources. I speak about the protein part of this recipe because most people who are not vegan are not aware of the other alternatives of protein sources. I had posted this recipe on my personal Facebook page and had a couple people comment that there was not any protein in this recipe because it lacked animal meat.

Vegan Alfredo Spaghetti Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews (soaking at least 2 hrs or quick soak 30 minutes in hot water)
  • 6-8 garlic cloves, roasted
  • 12 oz any pasta (we used angel hair)
  • 2 Tablespoons EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
  • 4 cups of reserved pasta water
  • 2 cups thick cut mushrooms
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup any plant milk (we used Chobani extra creamy)
  • 1/3 cup tapioca starch (or cornstarch/flour)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • fresh basil for garnish (opt)

Cooking Instructions

  1. Soak cashews for at least 2 hours or overnight, or quick soak 30 minutes in hot water.
  2. In a small pan, roast garlic cloves with the shells on, over med-high heat until browned and soft. Spray pan with Pam or oil as needed. Remove the shells and set aside.
  3. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and reserve 4 cups of the pasta water.
  4. In a large pan, heat EVOO over medium heat: add the mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and begin to brown. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. In a blender, combine cashews, 4 cups reserved pasta water, roasted garlic, lemon juice, plant milk, and tapioca starch. Blend on high until completely smooth.
  6. Pour mixture into a large saucepan and cook over med-high heat, whisking constantly until sauce begins to thicken.
  7. Add the mushroom mixture and the cooked spaghetti to the sauce. Use tongs to ensure the noodles are evenly coated. Season with S&P.

This recipe makes a lot!! I would guess this would feed about 8 people. If you noticed in the ingredients that you are not using the entire package of spaghetti, but it still makes a generous amount. It was great having leftovers to eat from because it’s that good to eat on for a few days or just freeze the remainder and enjoy another time without all the hassle of making another batch. To reheat leftovers, just add a splash of whatever milk you used to make the consistency looser.

I’d like to recommend a very tasty vegan cheese to add to this meal. It is a 3-ingredient mock parmesan cheese. You can find this quick and easy recipe here dairy-free-parmesan-cheese-crumbles/.

*This recipe is not the original, it has been altered to fit my family’s taste. The site where it was discovered is unknown. If the site is ever recovered, I will certainly add it here to give credit to that person.

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by Chantel Chansa

Dairy Free Parmesan Cheese Crumbles

We had this recipe so long I don’t remember where it was found. This recipe is a great substitute for parmesan cheese for those who are lactose intolerant or who just can’t do dairy. It is pretty tasty. I use this on several foods other than just pasta dishes. Make it for yourself and see. This recipe is fast and very simple to make.

Ingredients

1/3 cup raw cashews

2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Put all ingredients in a food processor and grind until fine. Looks like crumbs. See the photo below.

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by Chantel Chansa

Summertime Mock Chicken Salad

This Mock Chicken Salad is really good. My mom found this recipe a couple years ago from one of her magazines, probably Forks Over Knives. Anyway, this mock salad is made with chickpeas. If you truly do not like the taste of chickpeas, then this is not for you. It does have a slight taste of chickpea but not overwhelming. You can also taste like a nutty, but smooth, creamy texture. If you don’t like the texture that you get with your first try, then you can process it a little more to take the lumps out, or you can make it chunkier by less processing. This will need to be decided while you have the chickpeas in the food processor, not after you have made the complete salad. You can change any of the ingredients to fit your taste. My mom has made this with four different types of mayonnaise and found that we enjoyed using Duke’s, Vegan Mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, and this last time we used Hellmann’s. All of them tasted really good, but my favorite is the Miracle Whip because it is light in texture and is a salad dressing, not a mayonnaise. You can use whichever mayonnaise you like with yours. I also like to add more pickles to my sandwich and load my sandwich with Alfalfa and Cilantro. Oh, and I like to lightly toast my sourdough bread.

Here are a couple of tips that we have noticed that makes a difference in the texture of the salad’s final results. First, allow the chickpeas to rest in the colander for 30 minutes after rinsing, this helps make the salad mixture not so watery. Second, while you are waiting for those to dry up a bit, you can take the waxy coating/protective hull off of the chickpeas. Just slightly pinch the pea and the hull will come off. Discard the hull in your empty can. Do about half the peas or you can do all of them if you want. We have noticed by doing this, it gives the salad a smoother consistency and it is easier to digest, in our opinion.

Mock Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 (15oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup vegan mayo
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 TBSP lemon juice
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup pickles, chopped (dill or sweet)
  • 2 scallions, sliced thin
  • 2 TBSP freshly minced dill, parsley or tarragon
  • bread or crackers

HOW TO MAKE

  1. Process 3/4 cup chickpeas, mayo, water, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt in food processor (FP) until smooth, approx. 30 sec. Scrapping down the sides as needed.
  2. Add remaining chickpeas to FP and pulse until coarsely chopped with chunky bits remaining, about 4 pulses.
  3. Combine chickpea mixture, celery, pickles, scallions and fresh choice of herbs in a medium bowl. Add salt & pepper to season with taste.
  4. Spread mixture on bread, toast, or crackers.

Curried Chickpea Salad

Add 1 TBSP curry powder to mixture in FP during step 1 and substitute 1/2 cup golden raisins for the pickles.

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by Chantel Chansa

SCRUMPTIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE

This chocolate cake is one of the best I have ever made. This recipe is made without butter and eggs, and is so incredibly quick and easy to make, imagine that!!!! I stumbled upon this recipe on YouTube several years ago and decided to try it. I didn’t know that this recipe was vegan, I just wanted to try it. Well, I am so glad I did because this is my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I am not a huge fan of chocolate but this cake will have you addicted to just this cake. I believe the oil in the cake is what makes it so incredibly moist. You can use any oil you choose but I opt for the Olive Oil. This recipe also calls for lemon juice or vinegar. Either one is good but I prefer fresh squeezed lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice gives it a wonderful flavor vs the vinegar or even bottled lemon juice. The type of Coco (Caco) powder you use is up to you but any unsweetened will be good. One day I would love to try this recipe using unsweetened Carob powder. When I first made this recipe I used regular granulated white sugar versus now I use organic cane sugar. Any substitute sugar or sugar alcohol will work fine, just adjust the measurements if needed.

I should type these next words in bold but I’ll trust that you will be sure that you DO NOT miss this one very important step when you are placing your dry ingredients into the mixing bowl. Make sure you aerate the flour. Doing this will make a world of difference on how your cake will turn out.

I will include the icing but I have only made it once and DID NOT like it at all. So, I never make it when I bake this cake. If you make it, you may like it but to me the cake alone is delicious and truly doesn’t need any icing, in my opinion. Sometimes I’ll sprinkle Confectionary sugar on top of my slice before I eat it. I don’t suggest sprinkling it on the entire cake unless you will be serving it in expectation of it being devoured.

This cake will probably become your favorite and a favorite with others who you share it with. It was always a popular dessert wherever I took it. So be prepared to share this simple and quick recipe with others.

SCRUMPTIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose flour (earache flour)
  • 1 cup sugar ( any kind)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coco powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt ( do not use coarse)
  • 1 cup cool water
  • 6 Tbsp oil ( I used Olive)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or distilled white vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting

  • 2 Tbsp salted butter (room temp)
  • 1 cup confectionary sugar
  • 1Tbsp coco powder (unsweetened)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • about 3 tsp milk

Mix all ingredients together except the milk. After mixing, you will add 1/2tsp of milk at a time to the mixture until you have a frosting consistency. I ended up using a total of 3 for my consistency. Since I did not care for the frosting, you may like it. I also think that it needs to be adjusted to that persons liking, which I did not do, for the fact that I loved the cake without it. I hope that you enjoy this recipe.

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by Chantel Chansa

LENTIL SLOPPY JOES

Let me tell you about this recipe. If you don’t like lentils, don’t know if you like lentils or just want to try something different using lentils, then this is the recipe to try. In my opinion, it tastes like just like sloppy joes. The only difference is that you are replacing the ground beef with lentils. Another opinion I’ll give is, this recipe actually tastes better than any canned sloppy joe or any seasoning packets that there is out there. I can say that adding ketchup to your sandwich seems to add great balance of flavors. The photo above is of my sandwich. I love adding pickles, mayo and ketchup to finish off my sandwich before I devour it. Of course, you add your own favorite toppings that you would like.

This recipe makes a lot. If you are feeding a family of six with each of them having one sandwich, you’ll still have leftovers. You can store leftovers in the fridge for about four days or you can opt to freeze the remaining for another day.*

HINT: If you don’t have time to chop up those veggies just buy the chopped frozen bell peppers and onions.

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by Chantel Chansa

HOMEMADE MARINARA STASH

I am aware that there are many, awesome tasting marinara out there and this one takes about an hour to achieve its beginning flavor. Many times, you will find those at restaurants on your pasta or pizza. I do not know any restaurants that would share their famous sauce recipe with just anyone. So, my mom stumbled upon this recipe and decided to try it. Let me tell you just how delicious it is. This marinara is one of the many great tasting marineras that can be used on anything that requires a tomato sauce. We use it mostly as spaghetti sauce. We have also used it as a marinara for cheese sticks, pizzas, and pasta dishes, such as lasagna and baked ziti. I have also used this marinara on English Muffin Pizzas. I will post that recipe at a different time but just use your creativity with that one. This recipe has great flavor and great consistency. In my opinion this marinara has the taste of slight sweetness, garlic and onion but all is perfectly balanced. One time I did add about 2 tablespoons of plant-based of heavy cream. This made it rich and creamy but it did take away slightly from my favorite flavor of garlic. I do like it either way but my favorite is without the heavy cream.

This recipe makes a lot and is so easy. Whatever you do not use, you can store in the fridge for about four days or freeze the unused portions in a freezer safe container. Thaw in the fridge is the recommended way but for a quick thaw, thaw in a bowl of cool water. In the first photo, I made spaghetti squash for our marinara and topped with vegan cheese crumbles. Second photo is the beginning stage of cooking the sauce. We have never been disappointed with this recipe. Once you make this marinara, you will make this all the time and will reach for that extra frozen sauce to make that quick meal. This recipe is also traditional, vegan, vegetarian, and plant based. The recipe is below to view or a PDF if you choose to download.

Start to finish time: 1hr 25min Makes: 12 cups

HOMEMADE MARINARA STASH

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Vidalia onions, peeled, and coarsely chopped ( any sweet onion is fine)
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 (28oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
  • 4 tsp Kosher salt, plus more
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • sugar of choice to sweeten if desired

COOKING DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven pot over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally – being careful to not let it brown-before becoming aromatic, approx. 3 mins. Add oregano and stir to combine.
  2. Using your hands or a potato smasher, crush whole tomatoes and add to the pot along with the juices; season with 4 tsp salt and 1 1/2 tsp blk pepper.
  3. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced slightly, about one hour
  5. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender, food processor or blender until smooth. Place back into the Dutch oven and season with salt & pepper.
  6. Sauce can be stored in fridge up to 5 days in an airtight container or freezer up to 6 months.
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by Chantel Chansa

CHILI FOR CHILLY WEATHER

Now that we have approached the cooler days with chilly nights, we are all searching for foods that will keep us warm, full, and satisfied. I believe a great bowl of homemade chili is one of the many foods that was created to do just that. Everyone has their favorite homemade recipe, or a favorite brand of soup that fits your craving. The recipe that I am sharing with you has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager. My mom would make the chili and make Bisquick bread bowls. Geez!!! It was delicious. This recipe, in my opinion, is the best tasting chili that can be served in 30 minutes. My favorite way to eat chili is adding rice, vegan shredded cheese, and vegan sour cream. This recipe, along with many recipes, can be altered to fit any eating lifestyle. It’s as simple as changing the meat and dairy choices. I am one of those people who will add other ingredients to my dishes to achieve a better flavor. I also want to note that my favorite brand of Cajun seasoning is Tony Chachere’s Creole in the green canister, it is mild and you only need half a teaspoon. Yeah, I know it says Cajun, but the Creole seasoning tastes better to me than the Cajun. Of course, you choose what tastes better for you and your family. Oh! and adding more seasoning will make the chili more flavorful. Just add a sprinkle at a time to get the taste you desire. Just remember how much you add so you can document it for future use. I sure hope you enjoy this delicious chili as much as I do. Below I have the recipe to view before you choose to download the PDF.

30 MINUTE CAJUN CHILI

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of ground meat or meat substitute
  • 1 – 15oz can kidney beans or bean of choice, drained & rinsed
  • 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 – 15oz can diced tomatoes, do not drain
  • 1 – 15oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning, increase if desired
  • 1 – 8oz or 16oz container sour cream for topping (opt)

Directions:

  1. Brown ground meat along with chopped onions and bell peppers, drain excess fat if using animal meat.
  2. Put remaining ingredients in a medium Dutch oven or stock pot. Add meat mixture once browned and drained. Cook on med-high until a slow boil then reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Enjoy as is or add your favorite topping(s).

Feel free to download this recipe to add to your collection

30min-cajun-chili-recipe-pdfDownload

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by Chantel Chansa

Carrot Dog Recipe

I love finding different recipes to try that offer veggies, fruits, beans and legumes as the meat substitute. I never would have thought that using carrots as a hot dog substitute and they actually do not taste like a carrot. I was skeptical at first when this recipe was presented to me. Once I tried it, I was in love with this particular recipe. I did try another carrot dog recipe but this one was my favorite and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

If you are looking for a meat substitute for hot dogs, then this is the best one in my opinion so far. I and my family has tried a few different ones and this one has been the best tasting. Yeah, it may take a while to marinate but it is well worth the time. It does not taste like a carrot because of the marinade but taste more like a hot dog flavor from the grill. Not a heavy smoked flavor but subtle enough to taste the flavoring that a hot dog gives. I have noticed that if you marinate them longer than 24 hours, you’ll have a stronger taste of the soy sauce. Which isn’t bad tasting but just more pronounced in that flavor. You do not have to cook all of them at once, just store them in an airtight container with the marinade and cook as directed.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4-6 carrots peeled and ends cut off
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce/liquid amino acids
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 TBSP white vinegar
  • 1TBSP sesame oil
  • 1/2 TBSP apple cider vinegar (ACV)
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp dried ginger
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp onion powder

DIRECTIONS

  1. Boil carrots in a pan until tender, 8-10 minutes. DO NOT over cook. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. While carrots are cooking, make the marinade. Add ingredients #2 – 10 to a shallow dish and whisk together.
  3. Add cooked carrots to marinade and shake gently until they are all coated. Cover and place in the fridge. Marinate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  4. When ready to cook the carrots, heat a frying pan on med-high heat. Add carrots to pan with 1/2 cup of marinade. Turn heat down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
  5. Serve on hot dog buns with your favorite toppings
  6. ENJOY !!!

Below you will find the PDF to download or print this recipe.

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    by Chantel Chansa

    Walnut crumbles (meat alternative)

    There are so many beans, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds and veggies that can be used as a meat alternative. It also never occurred to me how much protein, fiber, vitamins, and more are in these alternatives. I’d say they are far more beneficial than meat itself. This recipe my mom stumbled upon and so we decided to try it. Prior to finding this recipe we were using frozen ground meat as an alternative. When we first tried it, we used it as taco meat. I tried it and fell in love with it. It is so easy to make and you can double the recipe and make them plain, just minus the seasoning when making the recipe. I freeze the plain crumbles. When ready to use just add your favorite seasoning. What I do is just add about 1 tsp of water to about 1/2 cup plain crumbles and dry seasoning (single person serving). Add more water if it does not completely moisten them. Then just spread the crumbles on a small toaster oven sheet and give it some heat to dry them, maybe about 5 minutes in the little oven. I sure hope you enjoy this meat alternative as much as I do.

    If you would like to download this recipe, the PDF is below. Look for the black “download” button.

    walnut-crumblesDownload

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    by Chantel Chansa

    Best Black Bean Burger

    Vegetarian ,vegan, plant based friendly

    This black bean burger recipe is, so far, the best I have ever tasted. It is better than the famous box brands. This recipe uses fresh ingredients for the most part, but, all can be fresh if you cook your own black beans in place of using the canned. The one tip that I can give about this recipe is to be sure the beans drain at least 20 minutes to avoid having “too moist” burgers. I have only cooked these on the stove in a skillet, but I’m most certain that these will taste just as good on the grill or oven. This recipe can also be used by anyone who just wants a break from meat, but also wants a delicious alternative to meat. This recipe is a five star in my household.

    Black Bean Burger Recipe

    Ingredients Makes 6- 3 1/2″ wide patties

    • 2- 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained (reserve 6 TBSP of the liquid)
    • 2 TBSP All-Purpose flour
    • 4 scallions, minced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp hot sauce (opt)
    • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
    • 1/4 tsp salt & pepper-each
    • 1- ounce tortilla chips, crushed (roughly 1/2 cup)
    • 1/4 cup olive oil (any high heat oil or spray)
    • 6 burger buns

    Directions to make patties

    Be sure beans are rinsed and well drained and allow them to sit in the colander for 30 minutes.

    Whisk reserved bean liquid and flour in a large bowl until well combined and smooth. Stir in scallions, salt, and pepper until combined. Process tortilla chips in food processor until finely ground. Add beans and pulse until beans are coarsely ground (about 5 pulses). Transfer bean mixture to bowl with flour mixture and mix well.

    Divide mixture into six portions having 6 firmly packed patties. Heat 1 TBSP oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lay 3 patties in skillet and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip and repeat the process (including the oil) prior to cooking the other side.

    To keep patties warm while cooking the remaining patties, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 200 degrees. Place cooked patties on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

    **Cooked patties should not be mushy or fall apart**

    Note: The recipe above is how I make mine, the PDF is from the original source, “Vegan for Everybody” recipe book by America’s Test Kitchen. Here is the link if you are interested in purchasing.

    https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Vegan-Everybody/Americas-Test-Kitchen/9781940352862?id=8866666383342

    The PDF is below if you choose to download or want to print it for your recipe book of favorite recipes. To download recipe, touch the black “download now” button.

    black-bean-burger-pdfDownload Now

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