Vegan Coconut Cookies (3 WAYS!)

They are melt-in-the-mouth buttery treats for Christmas or any other occasion. To make these crispy vegan coconut cookies, you only need seven staple pantry ingredients and five minutes to mix the dough. We show you three ways to enjoy them: 1) pl…

They are melt-in-the-mouth buttery treats for Christmas or any other occasion. To make these crispy vegan coconut cookies, you only need seven staple pantry ingredients and five minutes to mix the dough. We show you three ways to enjoy them: 1) plain and simple, 2) topped with toasted coconut, or 3) dipped in chocolate. If you...

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The post Vegan Coconut Cookies (3 WAYS!) appeared first on My Pure Plants.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Bites (No-Bake!)

Is there anything pumpkin can’t do? We think not. From pumpkin cake to pumpkin pie ice cream to the ever-amazing pumpkin spice latte, there is nothing quite as classic as those warm and comforting flavors. So we’ve taken it to a whole new level — meet …

Pumpkin Spice Cake Bites (No-Bake!)

Is there anything pumpkin can’t do? We think not. From pumpkin cake to pumpkin pie ice cream to the ever-amazing pumpkin spice latte, there is nothing quite as classic as those warm and comforting flavors. So we’ve taken it to a whole new level — meet pumpkin spice cake bites (they’re thrilled to be here)!

All the best parts of pumpkin spice in a decadent and dreamy bite — perfect for snacking, enjoying as a wholesome treat, or adding some bite-sized fun to your holiday table.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Bites (No-Bake!) from Minimalist Baker →

Pumpkin Old Fashioned Cocktail

Want a pumpkin cocktail? Try the Pumpkin Old Fashioned! It’s a cozy slow sipper with bourbon and hints of vanilla…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Want a pumpkin cocktail? Try the Pumpkin Old Fashioned! It’s a cozy slow sipper with bourbon and hints of vanilla and spice.

Pumpkin Cocktail Pumpkin Old Fashioned

Looking for a pumpkin cocktail that’s sippable and not too sweet? Try our new favorite fall drink: the Pumpkin Old Fashioned! This one is for bourbon-lovers: it’s a nuanced slow sipper with notes of vanilla, maple and spice. It’s barely sweet and bourbon-forward, ideal for sipping by the fireside or any fall occasion. While it’s bright orange, it tastes just like the Classic Old Fashioned you love…only cozier.

What’s in a Pumpkin Old Fashioned cocktail?

This Pumpkin Old Fashioned cocktail is 100% Old Fashioned, with a hint of pumpkin spices. It’s a great contrast to most pumpkin cocktails, which tend to be on the sweet and creamy side (like this Pumpkin Martini). This one has just the right finish from the pumpkin spices, but it’s still very bourbon forward. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Bourbon
  • Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Pumpkin pie spice
  • Vanilla

The ingredients might make it seem like a sweet drink, this Pumpkin Old Fashioned is anything but! Take a sip and it tastes like bourbon on the front end, but the finish has a distinct nuance of spice.

Pumpkin Cocktail Pumpkin Old Fashioned

Use pure maple syrup or simple syrup

Don’t have pure maple syrup? This pumpkin cocktail uses pure maple syrup, not the synthetic kind! You can substitute honey or simple syrup if you don’t have it on hand. Even better, make a batch of Brown Sugar Syrup! It takes just 5 minutes and all you need is brown sugar. The flavor is even deeper and more caramel than maple syrup.

How to make a Pumpkin Old Fashioned

The method for making a Pumpkin Old Fashioned cocktail is different from the typical Old Fashioned. For the classic, you muddle a sugar cube with bitters, then add the bourbon right in the glass. For the pumpkin version, you’ll have to shake it! Here’s why:

  • Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. This is unconventional for an Old Fashioned. But it’s necessary to integrate the pumpkin puree into the drink. It makes a beautiful orange color!
  • Strain into an ice-filled glass. When you’re making an Old Fashioned, a big ice cube is key. Make a batch of Clear Ice for the best results.
  • Garnish! This pumpkin cocktail looks great with a rosemary branch and orange peel, evoking the colors of…you guessed it, a pumpkin.
Pumpkin Cocktail Pumpkin Old Fashioned

More pumpkin drinks

There are so many tasty ways to add pumpkin to your drinks! From smoothies to cocktails, we’ve got you covered. Try these delicious pumpkin drinks:

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Pumpkin Old Fashioned Cocktail


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Want a pumpkin cocktail? Try the Pumpkin Old Fashioned! It’s a cozy slow sipper with bourbon and hints of vanilla and spice.


Ingredients

  • 2 ounces* bourbon whiskey
  • 1 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • ½ tablespoon maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (purchased or homemade)
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • Ice, for serving (try clear ice!)

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 handful ice and shake until cold.
  2. Strain the drink into an ice-filled lowball glass. Garnish with rosemary and an orange peel, if desired.
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Shaken
  • Cuisine: Cocktails

Keywords: Old Fashioned Pumpkin, Pumpkin Old Fashioned, Pumpkin cocktail

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Baked Apples

This baked apple recipe might be my ideal fall dessert. It’s simpler to make than apple pie, apple cake, or even apple crisp, but it checks all the same apple-y, cinnamon-y boxes. It also shows off the natural shape and color of the apples, which…


This baked apple recipe might be my ideal fall dessert. It’s simpler to make than apple pie, apple cake, or even apple crisp, but it checks all the same apple-y, cinnamon-y boxes. It also shows off the natural shape and color of the apples, which I really love. When I nestle a couple of these baked apples into a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, they look so fresh and festive…and they taste amazing, too. I’ve made this baked apple recipe a few times this season already, and I’m still excited to make it a few more. If […]

Apple Pie Spice

The other week, I mixed up a big batch of this apple pie spice to make my baked apple recipe. I purposely made more than I needed, figuring it’d be handy to have around throughout the fall, but when I got done, I wondered if I’d made a mist…


The other week, I mixed up a big batch of this apple pie spice to make my baked apple recipe. I purposely made more than I needed, figuring it’d be handy to have around throughout the fall, but when I got done, I wondered if I’d made a mistake. I had…quite a bit of apple pie spice. Would I ever use it up? As it turns out, I had no reason to worry, because this apple pie spice is delicious in so many things. You can use it in pie, yes, but also in crisps, coffee, oatmeal, and more. I […]

Vegan Banana Pancakes

These Vegan Banana Pancakes are a total treat! They’ve got just the right sweet flavor and are easy to make…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

These Vegan Banana Pancakes are a total treat! They’ve got just the right sweet flavor and are easy to make with simple ingredients.

Vegan Banana Pancakes

What to do with ripe bananas? Some people might default to banana bread, but our favorite always leans towards breakfast. Try these Vegan Banana Pancakes! These babies are fast, easy and so delicious: and leftovers make for great snacks, slathered in nut butter with a hint of maple syrup. This latest plant-based pancake recipe is so easy to make using simple ingredients: no need for any egg substitutes! We tried them out on family and they couldn’t stop raving.

Ingredients in vegan banana pancakes

One thing you absolutely cannot compromise on in banana pancakes: you’ve got to have ripe bananas! That means bananas that are totally brown, with that ripe banana smell wafting through your kitchen. Once you’ve got those, there’s not much to this recipe! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Ripe bananas
  • Neutral oil: see below
  • Non-dairy milk (we used oat milk)
  • All-purpose and whole wheat flour
  • Baking powder and salt
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon

Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, and cook the batter until it’s golden brown. Take one bite and it’s so cozy and delicious: full of just the right amount of banana flavor.

Vegan banana pancakes

No need for egg substitutes

These vegan banana pancakes are fantastic not only because they taste delicious: there’s also no need for egg substitutes! Many vegan pancake recipes call for egg replacements like flax eggs, which take 15 minutes to make. There’s no need for that here: the banana and oil work perfectly as a binder!

Vegan milks: oat milk and more

The best non-dairy milk for vegan banana pancakes? Here are our favorites, and a few other options for try:

  • Top choice: oat milk. Oat milk has just the right creamy texture and neutral flavor for adding to baked goods and pancakes.
  • Also works: almond milk. Almond milk is a great non-dairy milk for vegan baking. It has a thinner texture and a nutty flavor, but in recipes like pancakes you won’t be able to tell the difference.
  • Other options: cashew milk, soy milk or coconut milk. Cashew milk and soy milk are also great for pancakes, since they both have a neutral flavor. Coconut milk can add a coconut flavor, so we typically don’t’ use it in pancakes.
Vegan banana pancakes

Neutral oils to use

The last tip about vegan banana pancake ingredients? Use a great neutral oil! We use neutral oil in our standard pancake recipes as well: honestly because we don’t like having to melt the butter! It works well and is absolutely necessary in this recipe to give the pancakes their glossy texture.

What’s a good neutral oil to use? Grapeseed is a nice choice; we also like organic vegetable oil if you can find it. If you like cooking with coconut oil, use melted and cooled refined coconut oil.

Toppings for vegan banana pancakes

Wanna add toppings to those vegan banana pancakes? The sky’s the limit! Here are a few of our favorite ways to step them up:

Vegan banana pancakes

More pancakes recipes

Love pancakes? Us too. Here are a few more tasty pancakes recipes to try:

This vegan banana pancakes recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free. For gluten-free, go to Gluten Free Banana Pancakes.

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Vegan Banana Pancakes

Vegan Banana Pancakes


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 to 10 pancakes
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

These Vegan Banana Pancakes are a total treat! They’ve got just the right sweet flavor and are easy to make with simple ingredients.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (or melted and cooled coconut oil)
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk (oat milk or almond milk)
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork and measure it out. Whisk in the neutral oil and milk.
  2. In another medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, sugar, and kosher salt.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until a smooth batter forms.
  4. Lightly grease a skillet with coconut oil and wipe off extra grease with a paper towel. Heat the skillet over low heat. Pour the batter into small circles (about ¼ cup each). Cook the pancakes until the bubbles pop on the top and the bottoms are golden: low and slow is the key! Then flip them and cook until done.
  5. Add a small splash of milk to the remaining batter if it’s become very thick, and repeat. (Keep in mind, the skillet can get very hot on the second batch). Place the cooked pancakes under an inverted bowl to keep them warm. Serve immediately with maple syrup.
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Vegan banana pancakes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Spicy Black Eyed Pea Nourish Bowls

Looking for another way to enjoy our fan-favorite Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas? Or have a batch in your freezer and want to take them to a whole new level? Then this nourish bowl is just what you need!
Roasted sweet potatoes pair beautifully with …

Spicy Black Eyed Pea Nourish Bowls

Looking for another way to enjoy our fan-favorite Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas? Or have a batch in your freezer and want to take them to a whole new level? Then this nourish bowl is just what you need!

Roasted sweet potatoes pair beautifully with smoky black eyed peas and mango habanero hot sauce for an incredibly satisfying, flavorful, nutrient-packed, plant-based, and gluten-free entrée.

Spicy Black Eyed Pea Nourish Bowls from Minimalist Baker →

Sweet Potato Soup

Jack and I spent the first official week of fall eating bowl after bowl of this sweet potato soup. I don’t know what it is about creamy orange soup, but for some reason, it just seems like the perfect meal on a chilly day. Its vibrant color brigh…


Jack and I spent the first official week of fall eating bowl after bowl of this sweet potato soup. I don’t know what it is about creamy orange soup, but for some reason, it just seems like the perfect meal on a chilly day. Its vibrant color brightens up gray, dreary weather, and its velvety broth warms you from the inside out. Most years, I make my butternut squash soup or pumpkin soup on repeat at the start of fall, but right now, I’m still stuck on this sweet potato soup. It has a rich, sweet, and smoky flavor, with […]

White Bean Soup

This white bean soup is full of irresistible flavor, thanks to kale, lemon and tarragon! This healthy recipe will become…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This white bean soup is full of irresistible flavor, thanks to kale, lemon and tarragon! This healthy recipe will become an instant favorite.

White Bean Soup

Here’s a healthy soup you’ll immediately add to your regular rotation…because it’s just that good. Try this White Bean Soup recipe, full of humble ingredients and huge flavor! It’s a new favorite over here, especially now that soup season has arrived. Tender white beans float in the cozy broth with soft potatoes and leafy kale. Lemon zest lends brightness and tarragon brings an herby nuance. The best part? It’s made of 100% vegetables and tastes like a dream. We tested this one out on friends and family, and they immediately asked for the recipe!

Ingredients in this white bean soup recipe

This humble white bean soup is built for speed. In fact, it takes just over 30 minutes to make (or less, if you’ve got quick knife skills). Because it’s speedy, you’ll want to use canned beans here. Use your favorite type of canned white bean! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Vegetables: onion, carrot, garlic, yellow potatoes, and kale
  • Olive oil
  • Vegetable broth
  • Canned or cooked white beans: cannellini, Great Northern, navy, butter, or other
  • Lemon zest
  • Dried tarragon: this absolutely makes the flavor! This spices is worth grabbing at the store if you don’t already have it on hand. In a pinch, dried sage, dill or thyme can stand in, but try to grab the real thing if you can.
  • Salt and pepper
White Bean Soup

Types of white beans

You can use any type of white bean in this recipe! We like using cannellini beans because of their creamy texture and large size. But any type works! Here are a few of the major white beans you’ll find at the store:

  • Cannellini: Cannellini beans (can-a-leen-ee) are an Italian variety that are large and kidney shaped, with a creamy texture and mild flavor.
  • Great Northern: These are smaller than cannellini and have a brighter white color. They also have a mild flavor with a nutty undertone.
  • Navy: Navy beans are the smallest of the types of white beans. They have a mild flavor and got their name because they were a popular staple for the US Navy in the early 1900’s.
  • Butter: Butter beans are the largest of the white bean family, with a creamy, rich flavor. Butter beans are sold in many grocery stores dried and canned. Their large size makes for a stunning look in this soup!

Can you use dried white beans in this soup?

Yes! Simply cook up a pot of white beans using your favorite method: we like the Dutch oven method or Instant Pot method. Then use 4 ½ cups cooked white beans to substitute for the 3 15-ounce cans.

White Bean Soup

Blending this white bean and kale soup

The key to this tasty white bean soup? Blending the broth to get it lightly creamy! Here are a few notes on that step:

  • The key to the lightly creamy broth? Take out 3 cups of the soup and blend it, then return it to the pot! You can use a standard blender or immersion blender for this job.
  • Feeling lazy? You can skip this step. The soup still tastes great! We prefer it with the textured broth, but it’s great either way.

A note on serving size

This white bean soup is designed for a big pot of soup with 4 to 6 ample servings. Because here’s the thing. We originally made a modest 4 serving recipe version of it, but the pot disappeared too quickly! In our opinion, if you’re going to make a pot of soup, you’ve got to have leftovers. And these leftovers keep well!

Want to make the 4 serving version of this soup? Simply multiply everything by 0.75 below and it comes out to round numbers! For the vegetable broth, you can use 1 quart broth and 1 cup water.

White Bean Soup

Leftover storage

Got leftovers of this white bean soup? It works great for lunches the next day, and the flavor gets even better over time! Store it refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Sides to serve with this soup recipe

What to serve with soup? There are lots of ways to make it into a healthy meal! We like pairing it with a fresh salad with a little extra protein, or a piece of crusty or toast. Here are some ideas:

More healthy soup recipes

Love soups? This one is incredibly healthy: it’s vegan, vegetarian, and full of nutritious vegetables! Here are a few more of our favorite healthy soup recipes for soup season:

White Bean Soup

This white bean soup recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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White bean soup

White Bean Soup


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This white bean soup is full of irresistible flavor, thanks to kale, lemon and tarragon! This healthy recipe will become an instant favorite.


Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large sweet yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes, small diced
  • 3 15-ounce cans (4 ½ cups cooked) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or Great Northern, navy, butter or other white bean)
  • 2 quarts vegetable broth
  • 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried tarragon*
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 5 to 6 leaves Tuscan kale, chopped into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Prep the fresh ingredients (see above).
  2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook until just browned, about 1 minute. Add the potato, drained and rinsed white beans, vegetable broth, water, lemon zest, dried tarragon, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
  4. Remove 3 cups of the hot soup (including broth and vegetables) and carefully blend it in a blender or immersion blender. Then pour it back into the pot to create a lightly creamy broth (you can skip this step if you prefer and it still tastes great!).
  5. Stir in the chopped kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes more. Taste and add any additional salt, to taste (depending on your brand of vegetable broth). Eat immediately or save leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

*We highly recommend grabbing dried tarragon at the store if you don’t regularly stock it in your pantry: it makes the soup! In a pinch, substitute dried sage or thyme. 

  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Soup

Keywords: White bean soup, white bean soup recipe, white bean and kale soup

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Favorite Chickpea Salad

Have you met my all-time favorite chickpea salad recipe? Sure, I have many beloved chickpea salads on the blog already, but this is my tried-and-true favorite from…

The post Favorite Chickpea Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

best chickpea salad recipe

Have you met my all-time favorite chickpea salad recipe? Sure, I have many beloved chickpea salads on the blog already, but this is my tried-and-true favorite from my cookbook, Love Real Food. In the book, I called it the “Outrageous Herbaceous Chickpea Salad,” which is exactly right!

“Here’s a simple chickpea salad that I could eat every single day. It’s bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors, thanks to chopped bell pepper, parsley, red onion, and celery. Lemon and garlic take it from tasty to transcendent. This salad packs well, so it’s perfect for potlucks and picnics. It’s also a great lunch option, so long as your serving is large enough…”

chickpea salad ingredients

I love this recipe as much today as I did when I created the recipe several years ago. In fact, I stand behind all of the cookbook recipes, and it makes me so happy to hear that you’re cooking from the book!

I’m truly a healthier eater when I have this salad in the fridge. It’s the perfect hearty side salad or mid-afternoon snack. Pile it onto a bed of greens, or cooked whole grains like farro or quinoa, or even onto your scrambled eggs or cheese nachos. You can’t go wrong with this one.

Continue to the recipe...

The post Favorite Chickpea Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.