Vegan Easter Ideas

How to have a cruelty free Easter!

Easter Basket Treats

Here's a list of vegan chocolate brands to fill your baskets with:

• Hu Chocolate

• Sjaak's

• No Whey!

• NOMO (UK brand)

• Coracao Confections (mostly vegan)

And what's a vegan Easter basket without some candies too?

• Wiley Wallaby Licorice

• Jealous Sweets

• Wholesome Organic (vegan friendly candy)

• Annie's Organic (vegan friendly fruit snacks)

• Yum Earth (Easter candies are vegan)

Vegan Meal Ideas

Skip the ham, lamb, and other meat this Easter - there are plenty of vegan alternatives!

• Brands like Tofurky, Quorn, and Field Roast sell vegan roasts you could serve as a main.

• Serve up some delicious veggie sides like mashed potatoes and glazed carrots (or make the veggies the main dish!)

• Veganize some favorite sides and desserts like potato casserole or carrot cake.

Get recipe inspiration from some of my favorite vegan chefs:

• Gaz Oakley (Avant Garde Vegan)

• Bryant Terry

• Chloe Coscarelli

• Jenne Claiborne (Sweet Potato Soul)

• Chad and Derek Sarno (Wicked Healthy)

• Charity Morgan

For healthy, plant-based recipes, check out the Center for Nutrition Studies

Egg-Free Activities

• Paint wooden eggs found at craft stores like Michael's - DIY Wooden Eggs

• Paint wooden eggs that look realistic like these on Amazon - SallyFashion Easter Eggs

• Paint paper mache eggs from Target - Paper Mache Easter Egg

• Use Eco Eggs for a scavenger hunt, made from 100% recycled plastic and reusable for years to come - Eco Eggs

Wishing everyone a very Hoppy Easter!

-Kat

Healthy Vegan Berry Muffin Tops

This morning I decided to try making some banana oat muffin tops with some blueberries and strawberries. There are no added sugars and these make for a healthy little vegan snack!

Because the top of the muffin is the best part.

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 8 muffin tops

• 2 ripe bananas

• 1 cup of oat flour (I just ground up some rolled oats in the food processor)

• 2 flax eggs (1 egg = 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• vanilla or almond extract (optional)

• cinnamon

• berries

LET'S COOK

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2. In a small bowl, mix your flax eggs and set aside to thicken.

3. Mash your bananas in a bowl with a fork.

4. Add the oat flour (or ground rolled oats), baking powder, dash of cinnamon (I don't measure, just eye it), splash of vanilla or almond extract, and flax eggs. Stir until well mixed.

5. Add a handful of berries. I split the batter so I could make one group of blueberry and one group of strawberry.

6. Take a scoop and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until the muffin top mix is gone.

7. Bake until the muffin tops start to firm up and very, very lightly brown, about 15-20 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and let them cool on a rack. Enjoy!

NOTE: If the muffin mix seems too dry because you didn't add enough water to your flax eggs like I did (oops), then add a splash of plant milk.

-Kat

Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash

This super simple sweet potato hash makes for a hearty, healthy breakfast.

Sweet potatoes are not only a great source of fiber and vitamins, like vitamin A, but they are packed with antioxidants, making them a great addition to any meal. I love having them at breakfast time, or as an evening snack with some peanut butter.

Sweet Potato Hash

For this breakfast hash, start with a baked sweet potato. I did this by piercing the potato in multiple places and putting it in the microwave for 2 minutes, flipping it to the other side, and cooking for another 2 minutes. Times may vary depending on your microwave and potato size. Once the potato is cooled some, you can get to work. Depending on the size of your potato, this could make 1 or 2 portions.

INGREDIENTS

1 baked sweet potato

handful of diced tomatoes

handful of diced onions

handful of chopped kale (fresh or frozen)

1/3 block of pressed tofu

LET'S COOK

1. Cube 1 baked sweet potato. Leave the skin on to reap the nutritious benefits.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a bit of preferred cooking oil to the pan, then add the sweet potato cubes, tossing them to coat.

3. Let them cook for a few minutes, stirring them around occasionally.

4. Add chopped onions, tomatoes, and kale. I used frozen but you can also use fresh.

5. Lower the heat and put a lid on the pan. Let cook for a few more minutes.

6. Once the potatoes start to brown, remove from heat.

7. Prepare your tofu scramble. Heat another pan over medium heat.

8. Add cooking oil of choice and then crumble up the tofu into the pan.

9. Use a spatula to move the tofu around. As it starts to cook, add spices and a spoonful of nutritional yeast if desired. You can also use black salt which will add an egg-y flavor.

10. Once the tofu starts to get some color, remove from heat.

11. Add to the sweet potato hash, mix, and serve!

You can add a sauce to the hash if you'd like, but I found that this has enough flavor all on its own!

-Kat