Vegan | Gluten-free | SOS-friendly | Soy-free | Raw

Need a quick chocolate fix? This chocolate mousse is a combination of healthy and delicious ingredients that come together quickly to create a rich and silky smooth pudding. If you’ve never tried chocolate avocado mousse before, this recipe will take you completely by surprise!

The thing about this recipe is that it’s so simple to make. All you need is: a couple of avocados, a splash of plant milk, sweetener of choice, raw cacao powder, chia, salt, and a bit of lemon juice. Throw everything a blender or food processor, and mix until creamy and smooth. Avocados will give you that rich smooth creamy texture, the chia powder will work as a thickening agent, and the rest of the ingredients will give you that deep chocolate goodness you want!

The best part? This recipe tastes like a dessert but made with all real ingredients from nature, making it good enough for breakfast, packed with all sorts of nutrients that make you feel good!   

As for the taste? Don’t worry, avocados don’t have much of a taste, to begin with, you’ll only get a faint hint of it, but this will also depend on how much cacao powder you put into it.

Get creative with this recipe:

• Add mint extract and some mint leaves to make this a Mint Chocolate Mousse.
• Freeze to make fudgesicles!
• Make this into a pie: prepare the crust and scoop the mousse mixture into it.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados
• ¼ cup cacao powder
• ¾ cup plant-based milk of choice
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• ¾ cup sweetener of choice, or to taste (I used date caramel)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Dash of Himalayan salt

Procedure:

1. Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh into a food processor or blender.
2. Add the plant-based milk, cacao powder, chia, sweetener of choice, salt and vanilla extract.
3. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with extra sweetener if needed.
4. Spoon the avocado chocolate mousse into glasses or ramekins.
5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
6. Serve plain or topped with cacao nibs, fresh berries, and/or whipped coconut cream.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Dairy-free | Gluten-free | Soy-free| No-bake

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, the day to celebrate all of the fall foods, especially pumpkins. I figured out the most decadent fall dessert to let the season go with a bang! This would make the perfect dessert for holiday parties and fall gatherings.

Last week I shared my Vegan Thanksgiving recipes, and I promised that this week was going to be all about the dessert. So, here it is Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake! Back in high school, I discovered how perfect pumpkin pie is; no joke I could eat half of that Costco pie. But all that dairy and sugar? The perfect recipe for a tummy ache.

This year I wanted to try to make it, but I have to admit, I’m no pie baker. I definitely still need some practice. So I thought what else can I make, that it’s not traditional?

After seeing how successful my No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake was, I knew I had to make a fall version. Now, the idea of a vegan cheesecake is nothing new, I know. However, in all of the cashew cheesecake experimentation I’ve done so far through my vegan journey, I haven’t touched on pumpkin yet. And so, Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake was born! Creamy, rich, subtly spiced, and just the right amount of sweetness, filled with good healthy fats, protein, and fiber!

Oh, and did I mention that this is a no-bake recipe? Yup, just assemble the crust, blend the filling ingredients, and pop in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Now, let’s talk about the crust. I got two words for you: scrumptious & comforting. For this, I decided to go off the beaten path and created a crust by combining nuts, berries, and dates, making this cheesecake crust naturally sweet and hearty. However, you can totally try this with a more traditional graham cracker crust or make another creative crust, make it your own!

This was a hit among my family, my mom even said that this might be my best dessert yet!

The best part? You can have it for breakfast without an inch of guilt. Instead of having a slice with heavy dairy and sugar, you’ll have nuts, maple syrup & coconut. I hope you’ll love this as much as much as I did! 

Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

• ½ cup cranberries
• 1 cup medjool dates, pitted
• 1 cup walnuts
• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• Optional: ½ cup coconut flakes
• Pinch of sea salt

Cheesecake Filling:

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked & drained
• 1 lemon, juiced (approx. 2 Tbsp)
• ⅓  cup light or full-fat coconut milk
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• ½ cup maple syrup or light agave nectar (plus more to taste)
• ⅓  cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• cinnamon, to taste
• Pinch sea salt

Optional Toppings:

• Coconut whipped cream
• Cranberries
• Cherries (my fave)
• More cinnamon
• Pumpkin seeds

Procedure:

1. Line an 8″ diameter x 2.4″ depth Springform Pan (or 8×8 removable bottom pan) with parchment paper.
2. To a food processor, add dates and cranberries and blend until it forms a ball. Remove and set aside.
3. Then add the walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and salt to food processor and process into a meal. Add back the dates and blend until a loose dough forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. Tip: if too crumbly, add a few more dates,  if too sticky, add more nuts.
4. Add the crust dough to the pan, and press down with fingers to evenly distribute or use the back of a spoon to press down firmly. Also allow some of the crust to come up the sides, evenly. Set in the freezer.
5. After the cashews are soaked and drained, add to food processor with the other filling ingredients and blend until very smooth; this might take 3-5 minutes. If you find that the mixture is too thick or you have some trouble blending, add some more coconut milk.
6. After it’s completely smooth, taste and adjusts flavor/sweetness to your preference. Here you can add a bit more pumpkin puree, cinnamon, vanilla and/or maple syrup.
7. Pour filling into your parchment-lined pan. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum paper and freeze until firm; for about 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the dish.
8. Once set, leave out of the freezer for a couple of minutes before serving, to soften up a bit.
9. Serve with your favorite toppings. I chose frozen cherries, and it was heaven!
10. Store leftovers in the freezer for 7-10 days, though let’s be honest, it will not last that long.
11. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Today officially marks the beginning of my birthday weekend! (HEY FELLOW LEO’S!!!) We don’t have a lot planned out, we’re just going to have a celebratory dinner at my favorite local plant-based restaurant, El Grifo. I have so much to celebrate, not just my birthday. A year ago, everything was so different: I graduated with a BA, I quit a job I hated & started a job I love, and I started Grad School. So many crazy changes happened this week last year, and even though it’s an ongoing challenge, I’m grateful for those changes.

Anyways, on to today’s recipe! Matcha Pancakes with Raspberry-Coconut Yogurt. Yes, they’re as heavenly as it sounds. If you know me, I don’t usually do pancakes, I’m more of fruit smoothies for breakfast kind of person; I’ve been for four years now. But special occasions call for pancakes!

I decided to go with matcha pancakes instead of the traditional route, as a challenge for myself. I’m trying to bring more unusual & creative recipes, for you, my readers. Plus, matcha is a great way to start incorporating more green foods into your diet.   

Why matcha? Matcha is actually in the green tea range, and it’s super powerful. It’s a great source of fiber, vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc, and magnesium and it fights against viruses and bacteria. It also works as an antioxidant, boosts your metabolism, helps with detoxifying the body, aids in concentration lowers cholesterol and blood sugar.

Give yourself a boost of antioxidants with these sweet, yet healthy pancakes!

Recipe: Matcha Pancakes with Raspberry-Coconut Yogurt

Makes 10-13 pancakes

Ingredients

For Pancakes:

• 1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1  tbsp matcha green tea powder
• 1  tsp ground chia seeds
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp agave syrup (or as needed)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plant milk
• Cooking spray

For Yogurt

• 5 oz coconut yogurt
• ½ cup raspberries

My toppings

• Coconut Chips
• Raspberries
• Goji Berries

Procedure

1. Mix all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients, and mix thoroughly.
2. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Spray cooking spray on the hot pan or grease with a little bit of coconut oil.
3. Add about ⅓ cup of batter onto pan per pancake. Depending upon the size of the pan, you can cook more than one pancake at a time.
4. While the bottom side of the pancakes cooks, I added goji berries & coconut flakes.
5. Flip each pancake after bubbles form and turn golden brown on the underside. Cook the other side until golden brown.
6. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Top with sliced banana and coconut chips. Serve with maple syrup.
7. While the pancakes are cooking, add to a blender the coconut yogurt & raspberries. Blend until completely smooth.
8. Serve, add your desired toppings, and enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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I study and work which means that my three favorite things when it comes to food are: 1. easy to make, 2. cheap, and 3. full of delicious flavor. That’s why, I love bean salads, along with their versatility, this can be great for picnics or for the upcoming Spring Break BBQs.

But my love for bean salads hasn’t always been this way I was never a huge fan of this type of salad; I had tried it so many times my reaction was usually “meh, whatever, I guess it’s good with chips”. It wasn’t until my mom started making a similar one, that I managed to actually enjoy them. Plus, this salad literally saved me from starving multiple times after the hurricane, when everything was still closed; canned beans were easy to stock up when food was short and they are also super affordable. Also, one batch can last you in the fridge for up to two weeks!

For this salad, I used: cannellini beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black beans and pinto beans. I find it to be comforting, protein & fiber rich, and easy to put together (too easy actually). If you’re not a fan of one of the beans that I chose, you can easily swap them out for any of your choice: lentils, green beans, or wax beans. You can add some cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers, you name it! Really, the sky’s the limit when it comes to bean salads.

I really enjoy having this bean salad with some whole grain chips and avocado; but you can also add them in: tacos, burritos, nachos, buddha bowls and mixed with greens.

Recipe: Raw 5-Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• Optional: half onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: chili flakes
• Optional: 1 tsp whole flax seeds

Procedure

• Drain and rinse the beans
• In a large bowl, combine the garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar and coconut oil.
• Then add all of the rinsed beans to the bowl and mix.
• Season with salt & pepper to taste. You can also add paprika & parsley.
• Serve with chips or tortillas. I used beet whole grain chips.
• Topping: fresh avocado, parsley & red pepper flakes.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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A couple of months ago, I saw a beautiful bowl on one of Tess Begg videos. I was amazed when I found out that they were made out of coconuts. Bowls made out of coconuts? What? For weeks, I put off buying them, and then, out of nowhere, one was gifted to me.

I’m in the process of trying to be more mindful of the items that I buy. I, without doubt, still have ways to go; but one thing I started doing is using reusable cutlery, plates, and straws. Even though I always bring my own lunch to work, I often forgot to bring my own reusable fork; so I started carrying around a stainless steel fork and a stainless steel straw. By avoiding using plastic forks and straws at lunchtime while at work, I feel a little better about eating out.

This a bowl, made out of a recycled coconut shell.

The brand Coconut Bowls takes coconut shells that would otherwise be discarded as landfill or burned. Once the flesh and water are removed for their other uses (milk, oil, flour, sugar), this company repurposes them into handmade bowls. Every coconut bowl is unique with its own shape, size and markings; which means that they’re one in a billion and no one has one exactly the same.

With spring officially here, most of us are moving towards refreshing foods. I’ve been having smoothie bowls again since it has been 90F here in Puerto Rico. Trust me if I could have a smoothie bowl every day, I would; and I’ve been absolutely loving using my coconut bowl for them. Unfortunately, most of my meals during the week are eaten at work or at Grad School, which means I don’t get to use them as often as I would like. However, that just makes it more special when I get to use them on the weekends!

Here’s my favorite smoothie bowl recipe to pair with my coconut bowl:

Recipe: Berry Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries & blackberries)
• Optional: ½ tsp spirulina
• ½ cup water, coconut water or plant milk

Procedure:

• Blend all of the ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Keep in mind that, depending on your blender, you’ll have to stir the contents a couple of times.
• Tip: add liquid slowly for desired thickness.
• Pour into a bowl and top it with nuts, berries & coconut flakes.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Going Vegan is a whole lot more than learning to make bolognese without meat & dairy-free ice cream. Most people eat and wear animal products and rely on a multitude of products that are tested on animals. I have to admit to being guilty of this. Living in Island has a lot of cons, one of them being having limited access to other vegan products that are not food; like beauty, skincare, and clothes. Even when I want to buy some of those products online, I can’t, all because “We currently don’t ship to Puerto Rico”, it gets tiresome and frustrating. But hey, I’ve always said “There’s no such thing as a perfect vegan!”, even though I strive to be.

So what other ways can we support veganism when we don’t have complete access? Education. Comparing to other social movements, we’re pretty limited and truly in uncharted territory. But we can educate ourselves as much as we can.

I’ve put up a list of my favorite resources for vegan education:

Books

• The Mindful Vegan by Lani Muelrath
• How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger
• Millennial Vegan: Tips for Navigating Relationships, Wellness, and Everyday Life as a Young Animal Advocate by Casey Taft

Magazines

• Chickpea
• Vegan Food & Living
• VegNews: Vegan. Think. Eat Thrive. 

Documentaries/ Movies

• What the Health 
• Okja 
• Food, Inc.
• Forks Over Knives

Blogs

• Hot for Food
• Cocinina
• Cashew Kitchen
• Bianca Zapatka

Youtube Channels

• Avant-Garde Vegan
• Tess Begg
• Liv B
• Supreme Banana
• The Happy Pear

Some of the blogs and youtube channels that I mention here, I’ve been following for years and have served as learning outlets. Take some time to check these out; learning new things every day sometimes turns out to be life-changing.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Food is the first thing that comes to mind when traveling; especially when cruising. There’s so much (SOOOOO MUCH)  food that’s already included in the price, making it hard to resist all of the goodness that are processed carbs, fats & sugars. But don’t’ worry, eating healthy & maintaining your lifestyle while cruising, isn’t impossible. For me, cruises are the least stressful form of travel when it comes to food; but that is if you plan ahead. Most Cruise Ship Agencies will be happy to accommodate any dietary restrictions, this is more likely on international cruise lines; they receive people from all over the world with different cultural backgrounds & eating habits.

Here’s  what I did & how I did it, on Royal Caribbean International:

• Alert the cruise line as early as possible. I did this two weeks in advance & also made sure that I was listed as one of the plant-based travelers at check-in.
• Bring some pre-packed snacks on board. Snack bars, pre-packed soups, chips, ect.
• The buffet is your best friend for lunch (& sometimes breakfast). Huge salad bar, roasted potatoes, sautéed vegetables, sandwich station, veggie burgers & huge assortments of fresh fruits.
• Bring water with you on the first day & avoid paying $2 a bottle on board.
• If you can’t live without coffee, soy milk is available upon request in the buffet.
• Don’t get scared with the dining room’s main menu. On the first day ask for their special menu; they made me: tofu, fried rice, baked potatoes, sweet & sour soy chicken, different styles of pasta, mushroom soup, veggie onion soup, vegan pancakes(at breakfast, & bowls of strawberries too. I didn’t eat the same thing twice.
• Alcohol. You may want to skip the cocktails with bright colors, since they tend to be very sugary. Good news is, most beer is vegan!
• Not food related: If you’re into exercising, take advantage of the free gym & jogging track; especially on those “at sea” days.
• The sucky part is the lack of plant-based desserts; they only have a platter of fruits & fruit sorbet.

Here are some bad quality pictures (the lighting was terrible, sorry in advance) of my favorite meals on cruise:

buffet: Salad, mushrooms, chickpeas, almonds, raspberry dressing | steamed carrots & broccoli | toasts & roasted potatoes

dining room: pasta with pomodoro

 buffet: veggie burger (upon request) with everything from the burger section | ketchup, mustard & sriracha

dining room: vegetable & tofu fried rice

dining room (breakfast): eggless pancakes with peanut butter, banana & berries

johnny rockets: veggie burger with sauteed onions & mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes & mustard | fries & onion rings

dining room: veggie minestrone soup | pitta bread & hummus

dining room: baked potato with butter | sauteed mushrooms | soy meatballs with tortilla chips

dining room: chocolate covered strawberries

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One of my  favorite (non-drinkable) breakfast is pancakes, so naturally when I turned to the plant based lifestyle I started looking into healthier ways to make them. I came up with this recipe experimenting with different ingredients that I already had in my home, until finding the perfect combination. This is a pancake recipe made from completely scratch, therefore no store-bought mixture is used. By using “the made-from-scratch” method, you get control of every ingredient that goes into your food; you decide what’s going to be healthy & what’s not.

This recipe is perfect for vegans as no dairy, refined sugar or eggs are used. The key ingredient to this recipe is banana; known as a substitute for eggs in baking, bananas  have a great consistency for pancakes & also gives a good amount of sweetness.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana

2 tablespoons flour of choice

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1tablespoon chia seeds

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

3/4 cup non-dairy milk of choice

2 teaspoons agave nectar (optional)

Toppings: berries & nuts for garnish

Instructions:

Place all the ingredients, in order listed, in a blender & blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick you can add more non-dairy milk.

Heat a large frying pan to medium-low heat, with non-stick spray or with a teaspoon of coconut oil.

Once the pan is warm, pour in the batter into whichever size of pancake you like. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove & serve.

Top with berries, almonds, chia seeds, and more coconut flakes.

Use maple syrup, agave nectar or softened peanut butter(my favorite) as syrup.

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