EDIT-SEVVEN

Cooking healthy, plant-based foods at home can often lead to overly complicated recipes and we’re so over studying a recipe like we’re studying for the SATs. Priding herself on her ‘colourful, not complicated’ recipes, The Colorful Kitchen author Ilene Godofsky Moreno (who’s also a badass health coach, recipe developer AND food photographer) combines her design background with her passion for plant-based food to create and share recipes that we love, and know you’ll love too.

With the recent launch of her new cookbook The Colorful Kitchen: Simple Plant-Based Recipes For Vibrancy, Inside and Out, we asked Ilene to share a few of her favourite featured recipes with us. Keep reading for 3 delicious plant-based recipes from The Colorful Kitchen Cookbook:

 

Creamy Baked Kale and Artichoke Dip

Total Time: 45 Minutes

Active Time: 15 Minutes

Makes: 12 Servings

 

What You Need:

Cream:

1 (13½-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk

1½ cups cooked white beans (or one 15-ounce can)

½ cup nutritional yeast

Juice of 1 lemon

Sautéed Kale:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups shredded kale

Everything Else:

3 cups chopped artichoke hearts (two 15-ounce cans)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Serving Options:

Crackers

Chips

Toast

What To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. To prepare the cream, combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

3. To prepare the sautéed kale, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet.* Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off, add the kale, and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the kale wilts.

4. Pour the cream mixture into the skillet. Add the artichoke hearts, salt, and pepper, and stir until thoroughly mixed.

5. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly. Remove from the oven and enjoy warm with crackers, chips, or toast.

NOTE: Don’t have a cast iron skillet? Use a regular pan, then transfer the mixture to a baking dish to bake.

 

Chickpea Crust Rainbow Alfredo Pizza

 

Chickpea Crust:

Total Time: 40 Minutes

Active Time: 20 Minutes 

Makes: 4 Servings

 

What You Need:

2 cups chickpea flour

1 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Dash of salt

Toppings:

½ batch Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce (see below)

1 batch Rainbow Roasted Vegetables (see below)

What To Do:

1. To prepare the chickpea crust, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk all the crust ingredients together until smooth. Use a spatula or spoon to spread the batter out on the baking sheet in a circular shape until it’s about ¼ inch thick.

3. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the edges are crisp. Remove from the oven, and gently flip the parchment paper and crust upside down on the baking sheet. Peel off the parchment paper.

4. Spread all but 2 tablespoons of the Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce over the crust. To make the presentation especially showstopping, layer the rainbow roasted vegetables in rainbow order with the cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, and broccoli followed by the red onion and cabbage. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sauce on top.

5. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until everything is warm. Slice and serve.

 

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce:

Total Time: 20 Minutes

Active Time: 5 Minutes 

Makes: 2 Cups

 

What You Need:

1 small cauliflower crown broken into florets

1 cup nondairy milk

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons tamari

3 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and black pepper, to taste

 

What To Do:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and simmer until tender, 7–10 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and transfer it to a blender. Add the nondairy milk, nutritional yeast, tamari, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Enjoy straight away or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Rainbow Roasted Vegetables:

What You Need:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup chopped carrots

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

1 medium red onion, sliced

1 cup sliced cabbage

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

What To Do:

To prepare the rainbow roasted vegetables, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes, carrots, bell pepper, broccoli, onion, and cabbage in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to combine. Spread the vegetables out on a baking sheet. Bake for

30–35 minutes, flipping the vegetables halfway through the baking time.

 

No-Bake Strawberry Macaroons

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Active Time: 20 Minutes

Makes: About 16 Macaroons

 

What You Need:

Macaroons:

1½ cups shredded coconut

? cup coconut butter, softened

½ cup chopped strawberries

¼ cup maple syrup

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of salt

Drizzle:

¼ cup chocolate chips

¼ cup coconut butter, softened*

What To Do:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. To prepare the macaroons, place all the macaroon ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth, leaving a slightly grainy texture.

3. Wet your hands and roll a little more than 1 tablespoon of batter into a ball. Place it on the baking sheet and use your hand to slightly flatten it. Repeat until all the batter is used. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.

4. For the chocolate drizzle, melt the chocolate chips in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally for 4–5 minutes, until melted. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over the macaroons or use a pastry bag (or a plastic baggie with a corner cut off).

5. For the coconut butter drizzle, use a spoon or pastry bag to drizzle it over the macaroons.

6. Return the macaroons to the freezer for 5 minutes to set. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

NOTE: To soften the coconut butter, place the jar in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes before measuring it out.

ENJOY!

xo

@EDITSEVEN

(Story by Assistant Editor, Blair Stutz)