Join Me at Highlands Nature Sanctuary for My Spring Cooking Retreat
January 27, 2026
I am excited to present a whole food, plant-based cooking retreat, nestled in the stunning Highlands Nature Sanctuary, April 1-5, 2026. Alongside culinary creativity, outdoor adventure, and meaningful WFPB community, these retreats offer a refreshingly warm, down-to-earth vibe, much like heading to the family cabin up north. Accommodations are clean, comfortable, and rustic, with an old-school charm that feels familiar and relaxed—perfect for those who value connection over luxury. Click here for more information.
Potato, Pesto, and Caramelized Onion Polenta Pizza
March 1, 2025
Potato, Pesto, and Caramelized Onion Polenta Pizza
This pizza is great cooked on the grill outdoors when it is too hot to turn on the oven. It is filling without the heavy brick-in–the-stomach feeling that most pizzas leave you with. For a quick alternative to homemade polenta, buy premade polenta available in most grocery stores. It comes in a log shape and can be sliced and topped to make individual pizzettes.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cold water
- 1 cup cornmeal or polenta *
- 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes thinly sliced
- 2 medium yellow onions peeled and diced
- 1 cup Basil Pesto recipe follows
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the water and cornmeal to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the mixture starts to boil, cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens. Season with salt and divide the polenta between two non-stick pizza pans.
- Place the two polenta crusts in the refrigerator and chill until set.
- While the crusts chill, steam the potatoes in a double boiler or steamer basket over medium heat until tender. Set aside and let cool.
- Place the onions in a medium saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until well browned. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Divide the pesto in half and spread over each of the two pans of polenta.
- Arrange the potatoes over the pesto, top with the caramelized onions, and sprinkle with the nutritional yeast if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
*You can use masa harina to make polenta. It acts in much the same way as instant polenta. You will need to use 2 cups of masa instead of 1 cup called for above., and you only need to cook it for a minute until it thickens.
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Chef Del’s Healthy Oil-Free Salad Dressings
July 7, 2024
20 easy plant-based recipes to make your salads, sandwiches , and bowls pop with flavor. Click the link below to get the PDF.
Chocolate Pudding
May 2, 2024
Chocolate Pudding
Quick, easy and delicious are the words to describe this pudding. Keep the ingredients on hand and it can be ready in 10 minutes or less.
Ingredients
- 1 12- ounce package extra firm silken tofu
- â…“ cup unsweetened cocoa
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and purée until smooth and creamy.
- Refrigerate until well chilled.
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Mexican Brownie Parfait
Mexican Brownie Parfait
I love Chef Aj’s Black Bean Brownies. I used to sell them in my deli case, and they were always a hit. I once made a version similar to this for a catering job where I cut the brownies into small pieces and placed them in a parfait glass, topped them with Chocolate Pudding and fresh berries. This recipe is a spicy version of that dish.
Ingredients
- 1½ cup black beans
- 1 cup maple syrup or date syrup Ilovedatelady.com
- ½ cup unsweetened plant milk
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…“ cup chocolate chips
- â…“ cup chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans or pistachios
- Chocolate Pudding see recipe
- 1½ cups fresh berries for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Put the black beans, maple syrup, and plant milk in a blender; puree until smooth.
- Add the oats, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, flax seed, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and vanilla to the blender and process until smooth.
- Pour the batter into a non-stick pan. Top with chocolate chip and chopped nuts
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Let cool before cutting into 12 brownies.
- To serve, crumble the brownies into each of six to eight parfait cups.
- Spoon some of the chocolate pudding over the brownies, and top with fresh berries.
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Gur Cake
February 27, 2024
Gur Cake
Gur Cake is an Irish confection consisting of two thin shortbread layers sandwiching a rich filling made with breadcrumbs, dried fruit and spices.
Ingredients
- 12 slices whole grain bread crusts removed
- 1½ cup strong black tea or unsweetened apple juice
- ½ cup maple syrup or date paste
- 1â…“ cup raisins
- ½ tsp. ginger
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. cloves
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. coriander
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- Crust
- 6 Tbsp Almond butter
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup almond flour
- 2 ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp. Sea salt
Instructions
- Filling Directions
- To make the filling, tear the bread into large pieces and add it to a bowl with the tea. Mash well.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for one hour.
- Remove the bread crumb mixture from the refrigerator and add the baking powder. Set aside while you make the filling.
- Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Combine the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Mix well.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in another bowl and whisk to mix well.
- Add the flour mixture to the almond butter mixture and gently fold together.
- Press half of the mixture into an 8 inch b y 8 inch non-stick baking dish.
- Spoon the filling over the dough and spread it evenly over the dough.
- Spoon the remaining dough over the filling and gently press it down.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping is browned.
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Mexican Chocolate Pudding with Fresh Berries
February 6, 2024
Mexican Chocolate Pudding with Fresh Berries
This recipe is chocolate pudding with a tiny little kick. The Chipotle pepper and cayenne pepper really brings the chocolate flavor to life.
Ingredients
- One 12-ounce package extra firm silken tofu
- ½ cup date puree or maple syrup
- â…“ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp chipotle pepper powder
- â…› tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cup fresh berries
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the fresh berries in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Chill for up to 1 hour or overnight.
- To serve top with fresh berries.
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Easy Refried Beans
Easy Refried Beans
I admit there are days when I use refried beans from a can, but they are easy enough to make and, with a little help, are a lot more flavorful. I lille my refried beans more saucy than some, so I add a little vegetable broth to them in a blender and puree , rather than mash them by hand.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion diced small
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder mild or spicy
- 2 15 ounce cans pinto beans, or two cans fat free refried beans
- salt to taste
- ½ lime juiced
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until they start to turn translucent. Add water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed, to keep them from sticking to the pan.
- Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder; cook for another minute to toast the spices.
- Add the beans and cook until heated through, then add them to a blender. Puree, adding enough vegetable broth to make a creamy sauce.
- Add the lime juice, and season with salt, if using. Mix well.
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Ranchero Sauce
Ranchero Sauce
There are many versions of this sauce, some more time consuming than others. I prefer simpler recipes that come together easily without sacrificing flavor. This is one of those recipes. It has a long list of ingredients but doesn’t take all day to cook.
Ingredients
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound plum tomatoes chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 1 tbsp ancho chile powder
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
- ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth or water
- ½ bunch chopped cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed, to keep them from sticking to the pan.
- Add the garlic, jalapeno pepper, Ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Add the tomatoes and vegetable broth, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
- Using an immersion blender or regular stand blender, carefully blend the mixture until it reaches the consistency you want. A few pulses for a slightly chunky sauce, or you can puree it until it’s completely smooth.
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