Mango Breakfast Chia Pudding

I’ve been feeling like my breakfasts needed a jolt of inspiration, and this mango breakfast chia pudding is a step in the right direction. It’s creamy from nut milk, naturally sweetened with pure mango puree, and you can top it with as many nuts, seeds, and powders as you like.

I asked a bunch of you about your breakfast routines (here on Instagram), and was floored by the nearly 600 responses! If chia pudding isn’t your jam, definitely check out the breakfast comments attached to that photo – SO many great alternate ideas. 

Let’s Start the Day Strong!

Today’s recipe, it’s super simple. First of all, I love chia for breakfast. Chia seeds are protein and fiber-rich, and are the richest plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids. You can read more about why chia is often thought of as a superfood here. In practice, they keep me full, are a great vehicle for flavors I love, and are wonderfully versatile.

This chia pudding is super nutritious. It is vegan, dairy-free, gluten free, and naturally sweetened. As I mention above, you can boost it with as few, or as many toppings as you like. If you have a look at the photo below, you’ll see toasted almonds, shichimi togarashi spice (or use a pinch of cayenne), bee pollen, frozen mango pureed with a hand blender, banana chips, quinoa crispies or crisped brown rice. 

Also, chia seeds are just cool in general. It’s because of the way chia seeds expand and gel up that the whole concept of chia pudding works. In addition, you can sprout chia seeds, use them to thicken dressings, or as a base for chia puddings like this one. They’re great!

Add some crunch!

Lastly, the crunch factor, let’s talk about it! It’s important. I like crunchy toppings on chia puddings, and the more the better. It contrasts with the the way chia gels. Banana chips are great, quinoa crispies are another favorite, and you can’t go wrong with toasted nuts and seeds. Enjoy!

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Weeknight Ponzu Pasta

This one is for semi-lazy nights when you still want to get something vibrant and seasonal on the table. All things green in a quick, weeknight pasta option. It’s feel-good food that won’t weigh you down. The ponzu dressing comes together in a flash, boosted with a good dose of garlic and a thread of toasted sesame oil. The broccoli and green beans are cooked in the same water as the pasta, and everything gets tossed together in one big bowl to serve family style. The recipe is incredibly versatile – it is vegan as written, you can use GF pasta if that is a consideration, and there is very little added oil, if you’re keeping an eye on that. It can adapt through the seasons – swap in asparagus/favas in spring, roasted cubes of winter squash or sweet potatoes later in the year. Enjoy! -h

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Eleven Slushie Cocktails I Bookmarked for Next Summer

The slushie cocktails I bookmarked last summer, for this summer. I think it’s best that we stop at eleven here It’s my personal slushie list, inspired by some of my favorite cocktail maestros.

1. Frozen Mezcal Palomas – (Serious Eats)
Number one on my list. From Julia Turshen’s much-loved Small Victories cookbook, you know these are going to be hard to beat. Get the recipe here.

2. Frozen Sgroppino – (PUNCH)
Vodka + Limoncello + Lemon Sorbet + Prosecco – preferably enjoyed in the sun somewhere on the Italian coast. Get the recipe here.

3. Color-Changing Frozen Mojito – (Buzzfeed)
Have to admit, I’m intrigued by this one. Red cabbage is infused into boiling water to create blue simple syrup. When the acid in the lime juice hits it, color shift! I think it’s in the Tasty cookbook, and you can see it play out in the video. Get the recipe here.

4. Mango Coconut and Orange Vodka Crush – (Heather Christo)
Fresh Mango and coconut milk, offset with orange and lime juices, and vodka. Get the recipe here.

5. Friesling – (PUNCH)
A case for swapping switching out your rosé habit. Some good guidelines and recommendations here. Recipes in right-hand column on this page.

6. Cucumber Gin Slush – (QUITOKEETO)
A go-to this summer. I love the refreshing cucumber, gin, and limoncello trifecta. Get the recipe here.

7. Peach Wine Slushes – (Dessert for Two)
A simple as it gets, in the best way – fruity white wine + frozen peaches. Get the recipe here.

8. Cherry Moscato Slush – (Salt & Lavender)
I always stock up on frozen cherries (because I’m usually too lazy to pit them). Pair those with a bottle of moscato and a spike of lime, and this is where you’re at. Get the recipe here.

9. Strawberry Dragonfruit Margarita – (Host The Toast)
In addition to frozen cherries, I always stock up on frozen dragonfruit puree when I come across it. I can imagine a version of this using the puree being A+! Get the recipe here.

10. Frozen Blood Orange Negroni – (The Kitchn)
The classic Negroni is equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Here it meets the blender and gets rounded out with fresh blood orange juice. Yes, please. Get the recipe here.

11. Bourbon Slush Punch – (Smitten Kitchen)
Finishing strong. Literally. Smitten Kitchen meets Garden & Gun. This one looks a tad dangerous. Get the recipe here.

Also, just in case you want to get serious and roll out your own slushie machine, you’re going to want to read this. Straight talk from the master: How to use a slushie machine. And, here’s a little tip sheet on Bon Appétit related to crafting your own frozen drinks. Lastly! I also love (and make a lot of) weeknight non-alcohol cocktails, let me know if you’d like me to do a list of those. Enjoy!

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Jasmine Flower Vodka

You can infuse vodka with many things, and I love to experiment. A recent favorite was this jasmine flower vodka. I’m sure many of you have come across the beautiful jasmine teas that unfold dramatically when steeped in hot water. They blossom beautifully in your cup. Well, you can do something similar in vodka, or another spirit as well. I tend to start with vodka because it is neutral, but you could certainly experiment.

The strength in flavor depends on how long you leave the “flower” in the vodka. Once it is to your liking you can use it in cocktails, or in the same way you might use a vanilla extract – in baking.

There are a number of considerations here. The longer you leave the vodka in contact with the jasmine tea, the stronger the flavor will be. But there’s a catch. As the hours pass, the alcohol also darkens, and take on increasingly tannic notes. So! I recommend letting an hour pass with the vodka in contact with the leaves, and then increasing from there depending on what you’re after. 

There are a lot of different producers of blossoming teas, and you can typically find them in well-stocked tea sections. You’re looking for something like this. They are typically named red blossoming tea, or blooming jasmine tea, or something along those lines.

Let me know if you end up making a special cocktail with this – a simple jasmine flower vodka soda is nice, but there are worlds of options to explore!

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Instant Pot Mushroom Stroganoff with Vodka

If you have an Instant Pot, please make this. Please. Pasta fans especially, this one is for you. It is an Instant Pot Mushroom Stroganoff. And, as many of you know, within the Instant Pot community, mushroom stroganoff is quite popular. You see many versions of it highlighted. Some are over-the-top decadent, others are quite healthy and hearty. This is my take, trying to land squarely in the later camp.

My rogue move? Infuse a bit of vodka with crushed caraway seeds. Use it to spike your mushroom base as it cooks. So, a bit like penne alla vodka, but the mushroom stroganoff version. You can use whatever pasta you like (whole-grain, gluten free, chickpea, rice, etc.), I use creamy nut milk in place of actual cream, and a splash of olive oil to kick things off to start, in place of slabs of butter. You won’t miss any of it. This version is vegan, vegetarian, cozy, comforting, simple, and adaptable.

Here’s a quick video where you can see how this comes together. There are also more videos here if you’re interested:

 

Serving suggestions: I’m going to argue that you need to counter all of this brown with a good amount of green. I enjoy this with a sizable green salad, or stir some chopped kale directly into the stroganoff, as it completes cooking. I make note of the specifics down below.

Pasta selection: One of the great things about this recipe is that you can use whatever pasta you like, and you can experiment with favorite shapes. I’ve had success with penne, and rotini, but you can absolutely use whatever you (or your family) really likes. I often reach for one of the legume/bean based pastas for weeknight pastas, and play around with more traditional (and homemade wheat noodles) on the weekends. Mix it up some, this recipe is perfect for it.

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12 Beautiful Vegan Panna Cottas

Panna Cotta is a wonderful, versatile dessert any time of year. Swap in new flavors and fruits and it’s seasonal. It can be lighter or richer, depending on what ingredients you use. Faith Durand wrote an excellent introduction to panna cotta at The Kitchn. The variation I want to focus on today is vegan panna cotta.

Panna cotta is often made vegan by using the gelatin substitute agar-agar (also referred to as “agar”). It closely simulates the texture of gelatin desserts and is a simple substitution. At first glance many vegan panna cotta recipes seem similar, but different nut milks, thickeners (some using tofu!) and of course flavor combinations, create a platform for experimentation. Enjoy these beautiful variations!

1. Dragonfruit Vanilla Coconut Panna Cotta (Jo Ross, @healthyeating_jo) Everyone can use more pink in their lives and this panna cotta provides a healthy dose. Jo Ross’ panna cotta is quite simple to make once you have the ingredients – five ingredients – including dragonfruit powder which adds the burst of color.

2. Coconut Panna Cotta (Scaling Back) Beautiful! Tina takes a relatively straightforward coconut panna cotta and elevates it with a pomegranate topping that adds a pop of color and flavor.

3. Coconut, Mango and Lemon Panna Cotta – (Rainbow in my Kitchen) This one features the unique combination of mango and lemon, and a touch of turmeric, resulting in a wonderful color overload. The base is a mix of tofu and coconut milk.

4. Mango Panna Cotta – (The Vegan Corner)
Mango! This would be perfect when the weather is warmer and the temperature climbs. There’s a good cashew yogurt in stores that might be interesting to incorporate as the vegan yogurt.

5. Vegan Pumpkin Panna Cotta – (Lands and Flavors)  Perfect for fall or winter, or at a holiday table. The pumpkin seed brittle on top is a little extra effort, but a great touch.

6. Vegan Panna Cotta with Coconut Milk and Dried Figs – (Honest Cooking) Switching gears from the previous recipe, this one is as simple as possible, four ingredients. Use beautiful figs and you’re set.

7. Piña Colada Panna Cotta – (Avant Garde Vegan) Another tropical panna cotta, this Piña Colada panna cotta uses actual rum, which lends a special boost. Another difference here is the panna cotta base. It relies on corn starch, while agar is used to make a jelly topping. It’s worth trying agar and corn starch-based recipes to see which texture you prefer. Bonus, this one has a video (if you haven’t seen Gaz’s Youtube channel, it’s fun).

8. Vegan Chocolate Panna Cotta – (Jasmine @Black Food Blogger’s Club) Nobody is going to refuse a chocolate panna cotta. This panna cotta is different from the rest because it is based on homemade cashew nut milk. If you have a powerful blender, a creamy cashew nut milk can be simple as 1 cup of cashews and 2 cups of water. No need to strain.

9. Vegan Vanilla Panna Cotta with Black Sugar Sauce – (No Recipes) This one is straight-forward, soy milk-based panna cotta. The twist? It features a black sugar sauce. Marc explains the difference between brown sugar and black sugar, and his recipe is inspiration to seek out muscavado or kokutou sugar.

10. Vegan Panna Cotta – (Simple Vegan Blog) Another simple base, with a quick blueberry compote as the highlight. The recipe calls for frozen blueberries, but if they are in season that would make it that much more special!

11. Passionfruit Pannacotta – (the Macadames) Another tropical take on panna cotta! Similar to the previous recipe, this starts with a simple panna cotta base, which highlights the fruit. When sourcing your passionfruit look for heavy dark shells that are slightly shriveled-looking, which indicates they are ripe.

12. Rhubarb Rose Dark Chocolate Parfaits (Eat Love Eat) OK, I’m cheating a bit here, this is probably not technically a panna cotta. But, close enough! This is the only one in the round-up featuring rhubarb and the colors make it worth checking out.

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