Hi Reader,

Happy Mother's Day to everyone celebrating today.

Thought I'd pop in with some easy recipes for the weekend and week ahead.

Plus, I wanted to share a little behind the scenes update...

I've basically been living in vegan cheese test-kitchen mode this week. 😅 Cheddar. Pepper jack. Melt tests. Slice tests. Grating tests. More dirty dishes than I care to discuss. And some angry carpal tunnel (time to wear splints overnight again).

A few days ago I asked on Facebook (maybe you saw?), what matters most in a vegan cheese recipe, and the response was incredibly helpful. Oil-free was the clear winner, with lots of votes for meltable, sliceable, coconut-free, and easy to make, too.

So that's what I've been working on nonstop for the past 5 days while creating new recipes for an upcoming cheese eBook. And I have learned some pretty cool techniques!

But I'm picky. So while progress is happening, I'm not quite there yet. If a cheese doesn't "act" right, taste right, or feel worth the effort, it doesn't make the cut.

Anyway... thanks for being here while I obsess over vegan cheese in my kitchen like a completely normal person. 😂

Melty Mozzarella

I've used variations of this cheese over the years in dishes like quesadillas and cheese-stuffed breadsticks.

It's mild, melty, "milky" (for lack of a better word), and just an all-around DELICIOUSLY useful vegan cheese to know how to make.

Black Lentil Hummus

Made with pre-cooked black lentils, tahini, roasted garlic, and fresh lemon, this unique spin on hummus is better than you might expect (which is always fun). Garnished with crispy, baked black lentils, it's subtly smoky and spicy.

Chocolate Chickpea Cookies

With their brownie-like flavor, these chickpea cookies are rich in protein and fiber and made without oil or refined sugar. Make a batch in just 30 minutes, and enjoy this fudgy treat all week long!

"Save-the-Fish" Melt

Speaking of cheesy...how do you feel about taking this popular vegan "tuna" salad and turning it into a melt?
Friends, it's good. 🐟
Use store-bought cheese or the oil-free mozz linked above.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This 25-minute pasta dish couldn't be easier and strikes the perfect balance of comforting and nutritious! With kale, garlic, fresh lemon, and protein-rich vegan tofu ricotta.​

Game-Changing Ice Cream

In case you didn't know, I'm kind of obsessed with "alternative" vegan ice creams, meaning, they don't use coconut milk. Although, I have a couple of those, too.
From real pistachio and pecan, to vanilla-maple, and chocolate chickpea, now that warmer weather is here, let's dig in!

Comment of the Week

"This is the very best vegan mayonnaise I EVER tasted! It's now my go to vegan mayo for chickpea salad sandwiches & is also great for dipping veggies in! Thank you for creating this awesome recipe!! You really nailed it!!!" ~Paula 👉 Oil-Free Mayo​

I hope you enjoy the recipes.💚 Let me know if you give any a try! ~Lori

​​​​