Category Archives: Comfort Food

Hearty Baked Potato & Kale Mash

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This hearty dish is comfort food with a kick of healthy kale. We get the groundedness of the potato root vegetables. The kale adds the benefits of iron, vitamin c and antioxidants nourishing veggies and whole foods

Hearty Baked Potato and Kale Mash
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Hearty Baked Potato and Kale Mash

Recipe by Leslie Indigo AlisonDifficulty: easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Calorieskcal
Baking TIme

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • One bag yellow potatoes (other potatoes can be used but may need to be peeled after boiling)

  • Lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale!) 🙂

  • 1 cup plant milk such as oatmilk

  • 1 cup vegan cream cheese

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • Salt and pepper to taste – generous is delicious in this dish

  • Fresh Herbs to Garnish if available

Directions

  • Wash and boil the potatoes in a large pot of water until tender to the prick of a fork
  • Strain the water off the potatoes and set aside
  • Rinse kale and pull kale leaves from stems ; break leaves into bite sized pieces
  • Mix potatoes, oatmilk, cream cheese, garlic, and kale in mixer until chunky but smooth and well incorporated together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    Note : If using a high speed blender mix ingredients in two batches. If using a large countertop mixer all ingredients can likely be added into large mixing bowl.
  • Spread the potatoes into a large oven safe casserole dish and use a fork to create hatch marks across the top of the mashed potatoes. This creates even more surface area to brown in the oven.
    Note : This Potato Mash is delicious once blended, and can be eaten right away, but baking in the oven allows all the ingredients to further infuse and allows the top of the potatoes to crisp in the heat of the oven.
  • Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 350-400 degrees depending on your oven. For extra browning, turn the broiler on for a couple minutes. Watch closely so its browned just perfectly. Its easy to burn if you step away for too long.
  • Plate and sprinkle with fresh herbs, salt and pepper, and even a dallop of vegan cream cheese if you like.
    This stores well in mason jars for reheating throughout the week.
Apple Hand Pie DLK

Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies

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I’m warming up in the kitchen this morning creating a super simple recipe for apple hand pies. Cooking for those I love is one of my most favorite ways of connecting. It’s so nourishing to feed one another. Apple hand pies are a sweet way to share the love.

Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies
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Cinnamon Apple Hand Pies

Recipe by Leslie Indigo Alison
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Baking

30

minutes
Calories

350

kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 Apples

  • 1 cup brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter

  • Cinnamon

  • Pie Crusts

  • Note : Use homemade pie crusts if you are up for it – or – make it easy with a store bought organic pie crust. I suggest one keep a few frozen pie crusts in the freezer for quick recipes. If frozen, let thaw 20 minutes before trying to use for recipes.

Directions

  • Preparation
  • Preheat oven to 350-400 degrees depending on your oven
  • Rinse and chop apples into small pieces – leaving skin on or peeling off depending on your preference
  • Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar onto the chopped apples and stir together and set aside
  • Melt 1/4 cup butter and add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon – set aside
  • Melt 1/4 cup butter and mix with 1 cup brown sugar in a mixing bowl and set aside
  • Putting the Hand Pies Together
  • Roll out the first pie crust onto a flat surface and cut into 4 equal pieces
  • Spoon cinnamon butter onto each pie crust
  • Scoop a generous lump of apples onto each pie crust
  • Drizzle the brown sugar mixture onto each pile of apples
  • Cover each apple pie with a slice of pie crust and pinch together to close the sides
  • Drizzle a little bit of butter and brown sugar on top of each pie and sprinkle with cinnamon
  • Reserved apples can be spooned alongside the pies to bake for garnish when serving
  • Bake at 350-400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until pie crust is fully baked and golden brown
  • Let cool for 5 minutes

Recipe Video

Mac & Cashew Pumpkin Cheese Bake + 3 styles of seasoning

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Mac and Cheese is a fall favorite and here we gave it a mix up to swap out the dairy. We made a rich creamy sauce that mixes in pumpkin to bump up the fall vibes for this version of mac and cashew cheese bake.

The base ingredients are simple & you can be creative and add in your own personal twist with spices and herbs to change up the flavors. I played around with several batches and made one that was extra spicy, one that had truffle salt and sauteed mushrooms, and another with paprika and even some ground Marsala just to play with the more interesting pumpkin flavors in the cheese sauce.

Ingredients

One box of macaroni noodles (or any noodle you like – I used cavatappi so it would scoop up even more sauce)

Cook according to directions on the box, drain, rinse and set aside

Sauce

2 cups Raw cashews (pre-soak for 3 hours in water to soften)

1 cup plant milk (I used oatmilk)

Directions :

Drain cashews that have been soaking for several hours to soften & add to blender

Pour in plant milk & pumpkin puree and blend until smooth

Add in 2 teaspoons vitamin c powder (for tangy cheese like flavor ) + onion powder, paprika, garlic, and salt to taste preferences.

Pour the cheese mixture onto the pasta.

Spread out in a baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350- 400 degrees or until hot enough to your liking. It all depends on the size of the baking dish you use. Smaller portions need less time or less heat to be thoroughly baked through.

In the last 5 minutes of baking add the panko bread crumbs that have a tablespoon of herbal seasoning of your choice and bake just until golden brown on top. (I like to use the gluten free panko)

Note : If you like really creamy mac and cheese, you might add a little plant milk as you are baking it or cover the dish with a lid so that the moisture stays in the pan.

Now for the mix ups! Time to get creative.

  1. Marsala 1 tsp + Cummin 1/2 tsp + fresh parsley / green herbs

2. Truffle Salt + Sauteed Mushrooms + fresh parsley / green herbs

3. Chopped Jalapeno + hot sauce on top if you dare!