Hi guys! For many people during this particular time of year, many of our schedules revolve around holiday get-togethers. That also means lots of cooking and baking goes down. If you want to bring a dish that is sure to please just about anyone, bring a dessert (everyone knows it's the best part of any dinner)!  And if you want to bring a dessert pretty much anyone will enjoy? Well then, Oreo Truffles are calling your name. These are the most decadent, delicious treats. Plus, (without the Oreo crumble garnish) they look kind of remind me snowballs, which is pretty cute for this time of year. Oh, and did I mention they are super easy to make and vegan? They contain only three ingredients, and there is no oven time or anything! So what are we waiting for? Let's get to eatin'!

Ingredients:

+ 1 package of Oreos

+ 4-8 ounces of your favorite brand of vegan cream cheese (I personally love this brand.)

+ White vegan dipping chocolate, such as this one

Recipe:

1. Finely chop Oreos up which you can do in a blender, food processor, or as I do [see above - which also serves as a fine arm workout], put the Oreos in a big plastic baggie and use a hammer (Seriously! I have found it works the best).  Save some of the extra if you want to add the Oreo pieces on top at the end. 
2. Mash the plant-based cream cheese and crushed Oreos until it's all mixed together.
3. Roll into balls and place on a wax covered cookie sheet. 
4. Put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
5. Melt the white chocolate according to directions on the package.
6. Pull the Truffles out of the freezer and dip them into the chocolate.
7. Garnish with the leftover Oreo crumbs from before but be sure to do this before the chocolate dries.
8. Refrigerate, and then chow down when you're ready!

Original recipe found on Chef in Training

I made these Oreo Truffles for both Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving last month, and they were a hit. What are your go-to recipes for winter time? Will you be trying Oreo Truffles for your next get together? If you make these, be sure to snap a pic and tag me @alliegee319 on Instagram so I can see, please! Happy holidays!
Don't forget to enter the Polette Eyewear giveaway before it ends!

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Recipe Rundown | Vegan Spinach Ravioli Soup

Who's hungry? Me! Always. All the time. 24/7/365. That tends to mean I torture myself by looking up new veg head recipes on Pinterest. I recently came across the Sprinkled Side Up blog and discovered her absolutely delicious vegetarian soup recipe! It is Spinach Tortellini Soup, and it is the bomb. For real. Matt and I made it earlier this week for dinner one night, but we changed the original recipe (which you can find here) just a bit to our preferences. We made our soup vegan-friendly!
The recipe, which makes eight servings, is below.

Ingredients:

-2 tablespoons of olive oil

-2 garlic cloves, diced

-1/2 of a medium-sized onion, diced

-2 leaks with the dark green parts removed and thinly sliced

-2 tablespoons thyme

-8 cups of low sodium veggie stock

-2 cups of water

-1 can of cannellini beans

-6 cups of fresh greens (We used spinach, kale, and chard)

-1 package of tortellini or ravioli (We used a vegan Spinach Florentine Ravioli from Whole Foods but you can use whichever kind suits your personal preference, of course!)

1.) Add the olive oil, onions, and leaks in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the mixture for four minutes. Add in the diced garlic and thyme and sauté for an additional two minutes.

2.) Add in the veggie stock and the water.  Let it cook until it starts bubbling, and then let it simmer for about ten more minutes.

3.) Drain and rinse the cannellini beans before adding to the pot along with the ravioli or tortellini of our choice. Let it simmer for two minutes.

4.) Add the greens and stir. Season to your liking.

5.) Eat, eat, eat!!!

Feel free to add in the slices of plant-based cheese too! My personal favorite brand is Violife :)

This is so perfect for a cold, wintry night. Personally, we made White Russians and danced around the kitchen to Christmas tunes as we made this, and it was festively fantastic! Let me know if you try this recipe and how you change it to fit your tastes.
Happy eating!

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Recipe Rundown | Vegan Mozzarella Tomato Basil Salad

Who out there likes food? Did I hear a unanimous "Heck yeah, Allie, of freakin' course I love food, ya fool"? That's what I thought.

But seriously ;) Food is probably my favorite thing in life after my loved ones. [Is that sad?] Regardless, today I wanted to share a Recipe Rundown of one of my favorite and easiest plant-based treats that would be perfect for any upcoming Labor Day parties you'll be attending.

What you'll need:

+ Fresh mozzarella (Miyoko's is a popular brand.)

+ 4 tomatoes

+ Fresh basil

+ Sea salt

+ Cracked black pepper

- - - - -

1.) Cut the tomatoes up into smaller slices.

 2.) Add in your cut up vegan mozzarella pieces.

 3.) Cut up your fresh basil and add it to your tomato/basil mixture.

4.) Add your desired amount of sea salt and cracked pepper for taste and stir all the ingredients together to mix up all the goodies.

5.) Dig in.

- - - - -

See what I mean? I told you it's a stupid easy quick and simple recipe to make. Plus, it tastes like the Bomb.com. (Yep. It's that good.) So get ready to whip up a batch, bring it to your next picnic, and have people following you around all day asking for seconds. Let me know if you try it and what you think! (You can thank me later ;P)

What's your favorite vegan recipe?

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xo,

-Allie

PS: While you're here, don't forget to enter the three giveaways that are currently going on. You can enter to win $20 to Collette's Closet Online Boutique [ending TONIGHT, so hurry!], a necklace from Olive Yew, and hair accessories from Northernly!

Recipe Rundown | Vegan Bean Salad

Hey guys! I was making lunch today and it was so yummy, I thought I'd share the recipe with you. For those who don't know, I have been a vegetarian for nearly 10 years. I try to eat vegan whenever possible, too. This recipe happens to be totally plant-based. BUT don't let that scare you off if you are a full blown carnivore (Meatless Monday, anyone?). It is tasty even for the meat eaters who are reading this! It is a recipe that my boyfriend's mom gave to him in a little homemade booklet when he was moving into his first apartment-- awww. (The family eats meat so maybe that will calm any nerves you guys have about it being "nasty cardboard food" :P jk.)

It is simply called "Bean Salad" which is very fitting considering it's mainly just a whole bunch of different types of beans put together. It is so quick and easy to make. It's also full of fiber and protein (thank you, garbanzo beans!) so you will feel full long after you eat it.

- - - - -

Bean Salad:

Mix the following ingredients together in a big bowl. (Be sure to drain all the extra liquid from the cans before putting in the bowl.)
-1 can of corn
-1 can of black beans
-1 can of chick peas (Also called garbanzo beans- they are the same thing)
-1 can of kidney beans
-1 can of green beans (I leave these out because I personally am not a fan.)
-1/4 cup of chopped onion

Then make the second half of the list (the "Salad Oil" section) by measuring each portion out, mixing it together, and then pouring it evenly into the big bowl.  Mix all the ingredients together.
-3/4 cup of olive oil
-1/4 cup of vinegar (I am partial to using Apple Cider Vinegar. It gives the salad an extra kick and it is good for you!)
-2 tbsp brown sugar (If I only have normal sugar, I use that... which is what I did today.)
-3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed (I am also not a big fan of garlic, so instead I just put a pinch of garlic powder.)
-1 tbsp mustard (any kind you like)
-1 tsp of dill
-1 tsp of parsley

^This will yield a significant amount of Bean Salad, so be sure to share with your friends!

Thanks to Mrs. Harrison for putting this recipe together!

- - - - -

Will you be trying Bean Salad? Are you vegan or vegetarian? Have any recipes you'd like share?

Hope you liked this first recipe post I've ever done! Let me know if you are a fan of it and, if so, I will do more in the future :) 


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Xoxo,
-Allie