I am so excited to share a recipe with nutritional yeast in it.  Some of you may be asking what the heck is that exactly and in a nut shell it is a (deactivated) yeast (probably goes without saying)  used as a flavor enhancer popular in vegan dishes due to it's "nutty", "cheesy" flavor.  Because vegans do not eat animal products, they are at risk for a vitamin B12 deficiency (this vitamin is only found in animal products).  Depending on the brand you buy, it may contain B12 which is a very helpful if dairy and meat has been completely eliminated from your diet.


This particular ingredient has been on my radar for quite some time because I'm a sucker for the funky stuff so I was happy to give this sauce a whirl. By roasting the red pepper beforehand, I was able to prepare this sauce in about 15 minutes after work. And although I am not vegan, I enjoy cooking vegan recipes and experimenting. It's so fun to think outside the box to recreate certain textures and flavors (such as creamy and cheesy in this case).

I kept the meal simple with noodles I already had in my pantry and some garlic bread. I also halved the recipe because it's just the two of us, but I will provide the full recipe below.

Have you tried nutritional yeast in recipes?  If not, I hope the next time you are browsing the bulk bins at your local grocery store you buy a little! You don't even have to cook with it..it's supposed to be deeeeelish when sprinkled on popcorn, plain pasta, or basically in any scenario where you might find yourself saying ..

"You know what this needs?"

 "Cheese."

Hope everyone has been having a good week! It's almost the weekend. AHHH!

I know what you're thinking and yes.. that is real cheese on my bread. Can't put anything past you!

Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Recipe by Minimalist Baker 

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
• pinch of red pepper flakes*
• salt and pepper

1.  Wrap bell peppers in foil and roast  at 500 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.  Once cooled, peel away the skin, stem, and seeds.  (You can do this step beforehand to make things quick or while these are cooking, work on the pasta/onion and garlic).

2.  Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil, salt, and pepper until browned.  

3. Once cooked, put into blender along with the rest of the ingredients.  Add plenty of seasonings to balance out the natural sweetness of the roasted red pepper.and you want the sauce to be flavorful, not bland.

4.  Blend until smooth and fully incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

5.  Pour sauce into a skillet on low heat, stirring until thickened. 

6.  Serve over pasta.  

*Totally optional but totally recommended

Superfood Pumpkin and a recipe: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cookies

I hope everyone had a good weekend! Mine felt busy yet relaxing. I explored my surrounding neighborhood and almost finished a book   :)

In honor of September 1st and Pumpkin Spice Latte season I present to you my first pumpkin recipe of 2014.  I adore pumpkin anything and get so excited to purchase those cute little cans of pumpkin puree at the store. Although I would eat pumpkin anytime of the year, I have to say there is something magical in waiting patiently for Fall each year until breaking it out.  You never get tired of it that way and it's always something to look forward to.

Plus pumpkin has SO many health benefits. 

• Naturally low in calories (1/2 cup serving= ~40 calories)
• High in dietary fiber (1/2 cup serving= 4 GRAMS) --- More than most people get from their morning cereal.
• Rich in antioxidants thanks to Vitamin A, C, & E. 
• Specific benefits include aiding in skin and cell membrane integrity, eye and vision health (prevents cataracts and macular degeneration), and digestive health (remember all that fiber?!) which can help with regularity and aids in better nutrient reabsorption.

Where can you use pumpkin?

Because pumpkin has such a mild flavor it can be a welcome addition in plenty of foods.  

Use pumpkin to replace some of the oil in a recipe, stir into soups, hummus for an extra nutritional kick,  oatmeal, create a yogurt parfait (quick recipe: vanilla or plain yogurt alternating with layers of pumpkin sweetened with a little honey and cinnamon, and finally topped with your favorite granola) < < < definitely making that this week with my leftover pumpkin.

Today I present to you Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cookies.  In this recipe there is no butter, eggs, or sugar.. but they are still very moist which you can attribute to the pumpkin.  That is why people use pumpkin instead of oil because you can still create a great product minus all that fat. 

These cookies are the perfect snack -- healthy protein from the peanut butter and plenty of fiber from the oats and the pumpkin. I promise a couple of these mid afternoon will satisfy your sweet tooth craving while keeping the hunger at bay. 

The original recipe is vegan and didn't have any sugar added whatsoever.  I decided to add some honey to the recipe, making it very mildly sweet.  If you're looking for something a little more dessert-y I suggest amping up the honey or maybe using milk chocolate chips. 

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cookies

Adapted from newtothetable.com

• 1/2 cup chunky all natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tbsp. or more of honey depending on taste
• 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• pinch of salt
• optional: cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a bowl stir together peanut butter, pumpkin, honey, vanilla extract, and baking soda.  Add in rolled oats and mini chocolate chips, distributing evenly.

Using a tablespoon (or cookie dough scoop if you're cooler than me in the kitchen gadget department) drop onto lined or sprayed cookie sheet. Use your fingers to gently flatten the cookies and bake for 10-12 minutes. {11 minutes was perfect for me}.

SO easy. Literally took me no time at all. 

Here's to Fall and all things pumpkin!