sunny vegan » food, photography, and fun

7.18.14

cherry chip ice cream~ and a Cuisinart giveaway!

So what happens when you have gorgeous cherries, vegan chocolate chips and a Cuisinart ice cream maker? You make cherry chocolate chip ice cream of course!
and I want you to make some too, so don’t forget to enter this fun contest below. Not only do I want YOU to win an ice cream maker, I want to give 2 so that you can give one to a friend. Yup, I’m cool like that.

One of the biggest complaints about vegan ice creams is that the texture isn’t what you are used to. If you are used to full fat ice cream, then you are right. Most of the vegan ice cream I make is more like an “ice milk” , much lighter in fat, flavor and has an icier texture. But this ice cream is freaking creamy and full of fat ( well, you asked for it). There is good news though, the fat in coconut is thought to be healthier than other fats and since it’s not from an animal, it’s also cholesterol free.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ingredients:

2- 13.5 cans full fat organic coconut milk
3/4 cup agave, maple syrup or turbinado sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
dash salt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon vodka
1 1/2 cups pitted cherries
2/3 cup vegan chocolate ships

Method:

shake cans of coconut milk then pour into medium saucepan. over low heat, add sweetener, salt and whist until dissolved. whisk in corn starch until combined. remove from heat, add vanilla and vodka. allow mixture to cool, occasionally whisking to keep ingredients combined. once cooled, follow ice cream maker instructions byturning machine on then slowly pouring mixture into pre-frozen base. once mixture is mostly frozen, approximately 10-15 minutes, add cherries and chocolate chips through top of machine and mix just until incorporated. transfer mixture to freezer safe container and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
* my cherries were heavy and wanted to sink to the bottom, occasionally stir ice cream mixture together for even distribution while freezing.

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July 18, 2014 - 8:19 am

Mabel - I would give the other one to my sister.

July 18, 2014 - 8:20 am

Nan - I would love to win this and I would give one to my awesome friend Joan!

July 18, 2014 - 8:40 am

Katie G - I’ve been eating vegan for a few months now and have been missing ice cream like crazy! I showed this giveaway to my roommates and we would all love to start doing Sunday Sundae’s, starting with this sweet recipe!! As for the ice cream maker for a friend, I’d definitely give it to my best friend, my Mamma. Such a delicious giveaway, thanks for doing this!!

July 18, 2014 - 5:29 pm

sarah - my mama!

July 20, 2014 - 3:07 pm

Nicole - Happy national ice cream day! I would give it to the friend that needed the most cheering up.

July 20, 2014 - 9:27 pm

Lynda @MommyPowers - My SIL!

July 21, 2014 - 7:32 am

brett - I would give it to my best friend with this recipe!!!!!!

July 21, 2014 - 7:37 am

Adriane - I would give it to my friend and old roommate, Jen!

7.10.14

healthy chickpea salad

Salads get such a bad rap for being boring but THIS chickpea salad is anything but! With the best of summer’s veggies like tomato, spinach and cucumber highlighted by a fresh lemon vinaigrette, this had become a staple in our house.

If you don’t like spinach (what are you, crazy?) you can sub romaine lettuce or your fave leafy green instead. I tend to throw chia seeds onto everything for a nutritional nutty crunch, but they are not necessary.

What is your favorite summer salad?

Ingredients: 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained or prepared if using dried beans

1/2 cup red onion- thinly sliced

1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 cup cucumber- cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups baby spinach

2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 Tablespoons chia seeds *optional

dressing:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/3 cup veg or olive oil

1-1 1/2 teaspoon agave or turbinado sugar

salt

pepper

Method:

combine first 4 salad ingredients in a large bowl. in a small bowl or jar, combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. pour dressing over salad mixture and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. add parsley, spinach and chia seeds just before serving, mix well and serve immediately.

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5.21.14

strawberry arugula salad

I’m a sucker for pretty food! Fresh produce is so beautiful this time of year that I am always trying to find new ways of combining my favorites and this strawberry arugula salad is chock full of beauty.

I eat lots of vegetables but have a harder time eating fruit for some reason. By adding strawberries to the salad, I get the nutritional benefits in a beautiful salad. If you think salads are boring, you may want to give this easy one a try.

Ingredients: 2-4 servings

4 cups baby arugula- washed
1 cup strawberries – thinly sliced
1/2 red onion – thinly sliced
1/4 cup crumbled tofu – optional

dressing:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

layer arugula, berries and onions into bowl or plate, top with crumbled tofu and drizzle dressing over top. toss if desired, serve immediately.

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May 21, 2014 - 9:05 pm

Erika - It looks absolutely delicious! I also like adding pear or fresh peaches to baby mixed greens I’ve never tried the salad with tofu, as I usually eat it with goat cheese… but that’s not very vegan…

5.14.14

MyYogaWorks – take your practice with you and save

I received a free product trial in exchange for an honest review.

While the benefits of attending a yoga class are great, the truth is that I can’t always make it to the studio. I also have been dealing with an injury and feel like I have to skip half the class. This past winter I learned how to snowboard which was a huge challenge for me and I injured my wrist early in the season. Then I spent 8 full weeks in a brace unable to use my left wrist at all! I am now out of the brace and have minimal pain but I still can’t hold my body weight on my wrist which eliminates a lot of my yoga practice. Or so I thought…

When the opportunity to try MyYogaWorks came up, I jumped at the chance. Having the ability to choose my classes allows me to continue my practice without feeling like I am holding anyone hostage to my current limitations. Focusing on abs, lower body and mediation through the MyYogaWorks website has made my ability to practice so easy and convenient. It was so easy that I was even able to get my husband to join in, although attempting meditation with him left me with the giggles (don’t ask).

If your life is at all like mine, there is never enough time to do everything I need or want to. This was one of the best features for me on MyYogaWorks, the ability to easily choose how long my practice would be for the day. With videos starting at at 5 minutes, lack of time is no longer an excuse. They even have a Nap Time yoga series for moms, perfect for those stolen moments you get during the day.

This isn’t the first online yoga site I have tried, but it is the best! Somehow I felt the knowledge of instructors and quality of sound and video were much better than the other sites I have seen. But you don’t have to take my word for it because you can try your first month of MyYogaWorks for only $5.00, simply use the code “Blogger14”.

even in my small house, I am able to carve out a relaxing space to practice yoga, here’s a peak at my set up.

I would love to hear about your home setup and experience if you try out MyYogaWorks!

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3.10.14

healthy lasagna soup

Oh lasagna, how I love you so.
But the fat and cholesterol in traditional lasagna are a big no-no.

So what’s a hungry girl do to?
Make a yummy soup that’s good for you too!

Seriously, who doesn’t love lasagna?! Even Garfield knew a good thing when he ate it. But it may not have been that healthy so you shouldn’t really eat it often. What if you could take the great taste of lasagna and make it easy and healthy enough to eat all the time?! I would call that a Winner Winner, Lasagna Dinner.

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil

2 closes garlic

8 oz whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 can dices tomato

1 cup tomato sauce

2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons fresh basil

1 Tablespoon fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes * optional

Method:

in a large saucepan, combine olive oil and garlic and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes. add next five ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until noodles are cooked per package directions. add fresh basil, oregano and pepper flakes and simmer additional 5 minutes. garnish and serve immediately.

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March 11, 2014 - 7:34 pm

Jana @ The Townhouse Pioneer - This looks so good! And way easier than the other lasagna soup recipe I have! Totally putting this on the menu plan this month.

March 11, 2014 - 7:55 pm

Debbie @ Heartbeats Soul Stains - This soup sounds wonderful. I love all types of soup….mmmmmmm! Visiting from #SITSChallenge can’t wait to get to know you better

March 12, 2014 - 7:08 am

Barbara @ www.allmylivesnow.com - This recipe sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try it out. I’m always on the hunt for lower calorie healthy dishes. Visiting from Group 13.
Barbara @ http://www.allmylivesnow.com

March 13, 2014 - 8:25 am

Ashlee - Gah, this looks so yummy! I LOVE me some lasagna. Haven’t had a vegan lasagna since I’ve become dairy-free. I’ll have to try this one!

March 25, 2014 - 10:13 pm

Lovlie - I have to say that’s the yummiest tomato based soup I’ve ever seen. I’m not really a tomato soup person but that soup, I would wholeheartedly love to try!