This caramel dip is naturally sweetened, made with fiber-rich Medjool dates. A definite upgrade from traditional caramel recipes calling for butter and sugar galore! With a pinch of sea salt, this dip pairs perfectly with freshly sliced apples or pears.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Soft Medjool dates, pitted and pre-soaked
• 3 Tbsp. Honey
• 2 Tbsp. Almond butter
• Dash of sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. Coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Directions:

1. If you’re using a standard blender or food processor, begin by soaking the dates in filtered water for 2–3 hours, until soft. If you own a powerful blender, there’s no need to soak. It will pulverize the dates easily!
2. Combine all of the ingredients in the blender, and blend until smooth and creamy, adding extra almond milk, if necessary, to facilitate blending.
3. Adjust flavors to taste, and chill before serving.
4. Serve with sliced fruit or coat whole apples with the sauce. Sprinkle with small candies, chopped nuts or sprinkles for an added treat.

 

Vegan Kids Lunch Treats

We sent bloggers a mystery box filled with plant-based proteins, yogurts and milk, as well as fresh and frozen produce from Vega, Earthbound Farm, SO Delicious and Silk. We asked them to do their homework and submit their easy plant-based recipe for school fuel using only the items provided in the mystery box, along with basic pantry essentials. Here’s what they created:

Mango, Granola Protein Smoothie Popsicles

Recipe by: The Simple Veganista Light and refreshing, these smoothie popsicles make for a great morning or afternoon snack. Made with a protein powder, frozen mango, coconut milk and granola, each bite is as delicious as the last!

Ingredients:

• 1 16-oz. bag Earthbound Farms Frozen Mango, divided
• 1 scoop Vega All-In-One Nutritional Shake
• 1 cup SO Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk, plus more as needed
• 3/4 cup Sprouts vegan granola of choice (I used Tropical)

Tools:

• Blender
• Any popsicle mold or 6 small 5-oz. dixie cups
• 10 wooden popsicle sticks or 5 paper straws, cut in half

Instructions:

1. In a blender, combine 12 ounces of mango (about 3 cups), protein powder and unsweetened coconut milk, blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed to help it move along. If mixture is too thick, add a little extra coconut milk, about 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed.
2. Fill popsicle molds or cups about 1/4 full, add about 1 teaspoon granola and a few small mango pieces, gently press down.
3. Repeat once more, ending with granola.
4. Gently tap molds on flat surface to remove excess air bubbles.
5. Place the stick or cut straw directly in the center.
6. Place in the freezer, towards the back if possible, for at least 6 hours.
7. Makes 10 3-oz. or 6 4.5-oz. popsicles.

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No-bake Vegan Mango-Caramel Swirl Cheesecake

Recipe by: The Vegan 8 This vegan cheesecake is a crowd-pleaser, even with dairy-lovers. A homemade mango caramel is swirled throughout a delicious coconut butter and cashew butter cheesecake made with fresh mangos and topped with more caramel. By using repeated ingredients in the caramel and cheesecake, it is kept simple—with just eight ingredients!

Ingredients:

For the Mango Caramel

• 1/2 cup Earthbound Farm Organic Mango Chunks
• 1/2 cup Pure maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp. Raw cashew butter

For the Crust

• 1 1/2 cups Pecans
• 2 Tbsp. Vega All-In-One Nutritional Shake French Vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. Fine salt
• 2 Tbsp. Pure maple syrup

For the Cheesecake Filling

• 1/2 cup SO Delicious Coconut Milk (unsweetened, not full fat), room temp
• 1/4 cup Pure maple syrup, room temp
• 1/2 cup Raw cashew butter
• 1/4 cup Chopped mango chunks
• 3 Tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. Fine salt
• 1/2 cup Melted liquid coconut butter

Instructions:

1. Make the mango caramel first. Add all the mango caramel ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a small pot and turn to medium heat. Once it is boiling around the edges, cover and turn down to low and let it cook 3–5 minutes until it has thickened and reduced by half. Don’t worry about it getting chunky, it will smooth back out. Whisk well until smooth and set aside to cool.
2. Make the crust in a food processor. Add the pecans, vanilla shake powder and salt and pulse until a fine meal texture forms. Add the syrup and pulse a few times until the mixture turns into clumps, just a few seconds. Be careful not to over-process it. Line a 6-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Press the crust on the paper flat, even and around the edges, make sure to press tightly and secure any crumbs.
3. Make the filling by adding all of the “cheesecake filling” ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. You will add all of the ingredients, except the coconut butter. Blend until completely smooth. Warm the coconut butter in the microwave for 15–30 seconds until a liquid has formed. Stir around until it is totally smooth before adding to the filling. Make sure to stir from the bottom of the jar so you aren’t just getting the separated oil. Use a scale for accuracy in the coconut butter weight amount. Pour into the filling ingredients in the blender and blend once more until completely smooth.
4. Pour about half the filling over the crust. Drop spoonfuls of the caramel over the top and gently swirl the caramel around with a knife, creating swirls. If the caramel has thickened up too much, just add a tiny amount of water to slightly thin it out. Pour the remaining batter over and repeat with more caramel swirls. Make sure to reserve some for drizzling over after the cheesecake freezes. There should be plenty of caramel. Store the extra in the fridge.
5. Place the cheesecake to set overnight in the freezer. Remove and let sit about 10–15 minutes to soften slightly before releasing the pan. Carefully release it and slide a knife around the edge if necessary. If it messes up the sides at all, just take the edge of the knife and drag it along the side of the cake and smooth it right back up. Use a super sharp knife to slice and serve. Garnish with thinly sliced mango, if desired. Place the cake back in the freezer after slicing, covered in plastic wrap.

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Double Chocolate Vegan Power Muffins

Recipe by: Handmade in the Heartland How do you get your kids to eat healthy? It’s a constant struggle with little ones who seem to hate anything green. These muffins are full of good-for-them ingredients and they don’t even realize they are healthy because of the chocolatey goodness that hides it all.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups Whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 cup Vega Protein & Greens Powder
• 3 Tbsp. Cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. Ground flax
• 1/2 cup Coconut oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 container Silk Vanilla Yogurt Alternative
• 1 cup Bananas, mashed
• 1 cup Earthbound Farm Baby Frozen Spinach
• 1/2 cup SO Delicious Coconut Milk
• 1 bag Vegan chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prep your frozen spinach by measuring out 1 cup and then putting it into a food processor or blender. Mine was still somewhat frozen but you can thaw it completely if you have time. Blend or process down so that it’s close to a purée or very small pieces, it ends up being around 1/2 cup once processed. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix or sift your dry ingredients together—whole-wheat flour, baking soda, salt, protein powder, cocoa powder and flax. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream your coconut oil and sugar together. Once combined add in the vanilla, yogurt, spinach and bananas, after those are mixed in add in the dry ingredients alternately with the coconut milk. Once completely combined add in the chocolate chips and fold in until they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
4. Prepare your muffin tray with coconut oil spray or other alternative or use paper liners. Divide the batter between 12 muffin wells, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy for breakfast or snacks!

 

SHOP PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS NOW

While full of nutritional value, not everyone is up for cooking a batch of oatmeal each morning. Enter overnight oats! This tasty meal is stirred up overnight and left to soak while you catch some zzz’s. In the morning, you wake up to a healthy, grab-and-go breakfast that’s oh-so-creamy. Not only are these oats a healthy and filling meal, but they’re great for when you’re on the go and it’s easy to switch up the recipes to create something new each morning. Simply start with a base of yogurt, milk and granola or rolled oats, then sprinkle in the add-ins to create your favorite flavor. Check out these recipes to help get you started: Video Description: Tune in to learn how to make overnight oats. Recipes included below.

Vanilla Chai

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mountain High Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
• 1 cup Almond milk, or milk of choice
• 1 1/4 cups Cascadian Farm™ French Vanilla Almond Granola
• 2 Tbsp. Chia seeds
• 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. Ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp. Ground cloves
• 3 Tbsp. Brown sugar
• Sliced almonds (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients in order, leaving out the sliced almonds.
2. Divide into 4 resealable jars and cover.
3. Refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours.
4. When ready to enjoy, stir and top with sliced almonds.

Cinnamon Apple

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mountain High Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
• 1 cup Almond milk, or milk of choice
• 1 1/4 cups Cascadian Farm™ Stand Harvest Organic Honey, Almond and Chia Granola
• 1 cup Apple, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
• Additional chopped apple, almonds and honey (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients in order, leaving out additional apple, almonds and honey.
2. Divide into 4 resealable jars and cover.
3. Refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours.
4. When ready to enjoy, stir and top with apple, almonds and a drizzle of honey.

Pumpkin Spice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mountain High Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
• 1 cup Almond milk, or milk of choice
• 1 cup Pumpkin purée
• 1 1/4 cups Cascadian Farm™ Cinnamon Raisin Granola
• 3 Tbsp. Pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. Chia seeds
• 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. Ground ginger
• Chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients in order, leaving out the chopped pecans.
2. Divide into 4 resealable jars and cover.
3. Refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours.
4. When ready to enjoy, stir and top with chopped pecans.

 

I’m always on the hunt for ways to add flavor and use ingredients that tend to sit in my fridge. Recently, I’ve loved using assorted fruit preserves, many of which are a good source of Vitamin C. Preserves give a concentrated fruit flavor and often a more natural sweetness. Dates are also a natural sweetener that can literally hold a recipe together while packing in a tremendous amount of potassium. You’ll love these recipes that cover breakfast, dinner and snacking in between. The overnight oats have been a staple at my house for months. Adding assorted fruit flavors with preserves allows me to change the taste and get just the right sweetness. Overnight oats, especially when made with milk, provide satisfying protein and essential fats to get a tasty head start on your day! Enjoy this recipe with chopped dates, preserves or both.

Overnight Oats with Crofter’s SuperFruit & Dates

Yield: 4 servings (make the evening before)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups Whole milk
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 cup Dried dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup Crofter’s SuperFruit Spread (or any flavor you like)

Instructions:

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients together. Stir in dates and spread, mix until thoroughly combined. Store in covered bowl.
2. Refrigerate overnight and for up to 3 days. This can be eaten hot or cold. I reheat for about 30 seconds in the microwave.

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Roasted Pork Loin with Dijon Apricot Glaze

Yield: 6–8

Ingredients

• 1 2-lb. Pork loin roast
• 1 12-oz jar Sprouts Organic Apricot Preserves
• 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. While oven heats, generously season pork roast with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, mix together preserves, mustard and olive oil. Spread half on roast and place in oven for about 60 minutes or until juices run clear.
3. Once cooked, let cool 5–10 minutes before slicing. Use remaining sauce to drizzle over sliced pork roast.

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Walnut Chocolate Chip Energy Bars with Dates

Nutrition energy bars can be hard to come by and often expensive. These bars are delicious with only three ingredients. You do need a food processor to get your dates into a paste that will hold the bars together. It’s a sticky job but the taste is worth the effort. These tasty bars filled with essential fats, antioxidants and potassium don’t last long at my house! Yield: 6 Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup Dates, chopped
• 1 cup Sprouts Bulk Walnuts
• 1/4 cup Sprouts Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands well and/or use clean kitchen gloves. Place dates in food processor. Process the dates until it makes a paste.
2. Take the paste out and put it into a medium mixing bowl. Now add walnuts to processor, pulse the ingredients in the food processor until the walnuts are in small pieces/chunks.
3. Add the chopped nuts and chocolate chips into the bowl with the date paste. Use your hands to mix together.
4. Once mixed in well, shape into a ball and cover the ball completely with plastic wrap. Press the ball into a square about 1/2-inch thick.
5. Cut into 6 bars, individually wrap in clear wrap or container, and refrigerate for up to a week.

 

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About Leslie Schilling

Food Shouldn’t Be Complicated

Leslie Schilling is a Las Vegas-based nutrition and wellness expert. She is a master’s-level registered dietitian, nationally recognized speaker, wellness coach and nutrition therapist. Warm, compassionate, and entertaining, she’s been featured in Women’s Health, BuzzFeed, the Huffington Post, U.S. News, Yoga Journal, and HGTV. She holds the highest US credential for professional sports nutrition and was the sport nutritionist for the 2014-2015 Memphis Grizzlies NBA team. She owns Schilling Nutrition Therapy, LLC and YourSupperSolution.com, a premium online dinner menu planning service. Leslie is also a wellness content expert for Avanoo.com. When she’s not counseling, cooking, or hanging out with her family; you can find Leslie using her social media channels and speaking platforms to deliver science-based, lifestyle and wellness messages with a dash of humor. To learn more about Leslie, visit LeslieSchilling.com.  

Start warming those ovens, because we’ve got three stress-free muffin-tin meals that will bake up in minutes! The whole family will enjoy the scrumptious flavor of the Broccoli Pizza Bites, sweet tang of the Upside-Down Pineapple Pancakes and assortment of textures the Mini Taco Cups have to offer. These handheld and super portable meals are perfect for weeknight dinners or when you’re on-the-go.      

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Upside-Down Pineapple Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Butter, melted
• 1 can Pineapple chunks
• 12 Maraschino cherries
• 2 cups Protein pancake mix
• 2/3 cup Milk or water
• 2 lg. Eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix together brown sugar and melted butter, set aside.
3. Spray tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
4. Create a circle at the bottom of the muffin tin with pineapple chunks and place one cherry in the center.
5. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the pineapple and cherry, then pour pancake batter, filling the muffin tin to about 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, let cool before removing from tin.

 

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Mini Taco Cups

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 12 6-inch Flour tortillas
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 Onion, chopped
• 1 packet Sprouts Taco Seasoning
• 12 oz. Ground beef
• Desired taco toppings—shredded lettuce, guacamole, salsa, etc.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Gently fold the tortillas in half, then in quarters and place in tin.
4. Spray each tortilla with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle salt and pepper.
5. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, heat oil over a large nonstick skillet. Add onion and cook until softened. Add taco seasoning and coat onions. Add beef and cook until no longer pink.
7. Fill taco cup with beef and desired toppings and enjoy.

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Broccoli Pizza Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Sprouts Frozen Riced Broccoli
• 1 lg. Egg
• 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup Shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping
• Pizza sauce
• Desired pizza toppings, like pepperoni cut into smaller pieces

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Line muffin tin with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Create crust by microwaving riced broccoli for 5 minutes. Let cool and squeeze out water by using a cheesecloth.
4. Place drained broccoli into a large bowl and add egg, spices and cheese and mix.
5. Press crust mixture into each tin.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden.
7. Top with pizza sauce, cheese and other desired toppings and bake until cheese melts.