I grew up in a deeply rooted German community in southern MN, rich in culture, festivals, and food. That being said, I think I have a discriminate palate for a good brat. So as I developed this recipe, the key to its success was to nail it on flavor, as well as achieving that snap when you bite into it as if it had a casing. Mission accomplished!

Packing the right food before venturing out on a road trip makes all the difference in the world to help you maintain healthy eating while on the open road. Eating out 2 or 3 meals a day can be expensive and meals can be laden with hidden sugars, salt, and oil, not to mention the temptation to eat non-compliant foods. I’m going to solve the mystery of what to pack and prepare to make your next road trip much easier whether you’re staying in hotels or campgrounds.

Chocolate is considered an aphrodisiac food and said to contain a substance that inflames desire and makes the beloved one more open to romance. According to science, there might be some truth in old legends. As per recent studies, women who eat chocolate are said to show more desire for romance as compared to women who don’t eat chocolates.

Help your immune system ward off unwanted bugs with this nutrient-rich salad. It’s packed with fruits and veggies which contain nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, protein, and zinc to help your immune system function properly and keep you healthy.

Jar sprouting has become more and more popular in recent years, and for good reason! I’ve been sprouting on and off since the late 80’s. I pretty much stuck to alfalfa sprouts and mung beans, until recently when I tried my hand at sprouting green lentils. It was love at first bite!

These are the best Plant-Based Italian Sausage Crumbles you’re ever going to put on your pizza! Savory, with all those yummy sausage-y spices; fennel seed, Italian seasoning, and just the right amount of red pepper flakes. Add these quick and easy crumbles anytime you want to enhance lasagna, spaghetti, stuffed shells, pizza, or soups. Heck, you can even roll them into Italian meatballs!

This yummy granola is oil-free and oh so easy to prepare. It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and makes a great snack or sprinkled on top of your morning oatmeal.

This popular Greek dish is comfort food at its finest!  It’s loaded with nutrients, not to mention flavorful layers of roasted vegetables, and topped with a creamy dairy-free bechamel sauce. 

Harissa is the flavoring base found in Tunisian cuisine. It’s extremely versatile, much like siracha or sambal oelek where you can do everything and anything with them. This North African and Middle Eastern Sauce is delicious drizzled over anything and can be served hot or cold.

There’s a lot of buzz these days around the term whole food plant-based, so what exactly is it? To be honest, it means different things to different people depending on where you’re at in the continuum of a whole food plant-based lifestyle.

This is an old southern favorite that I’ve adapted for those following a whole food plant-based lifestyle. No oil, no salt, no sugar! This truly is a classic, hearty breakfast that takes me back to some of my favorite vacations in the south, every time I make it. It’s quick and easy, but you will need to have some of my Plant-Based Breakfast Sausage on hand to whip up this glorious stuff.

There may be shelves full of vegan breakfast patties in the freezer section of your favorite grocer, but remember, these are also packed with unhealthy fats and preservatives! Just because they’re labeled plant-based doesn’t mean they’re good for you. The best plant-based entrees you can fuel your body with is the food you make from scratch at home.

Do you have a party or special event coming up? Impress your guests with this savory Mushroom Bruschetta. Mushrooms, thyme, garlic, and a crusty baguette is all you need to whip up this quick and easy appetizer!

I have one word to describe this salad dressing. ADDICITIVE. No need to say more except make this soon!

Veggie wraps make an easy and delicious quick grab and go meal or nutritious snack any time of the day! This is more like a tutorial rather than an actual recipe to teach you how to build a healthy and satisfying veggie wrap.

It’s quite similar to neighboring Italy’s minestrone soup but with French lentils instead of pasta. Made with crisp summer vegetables and just the right amount of herbs de Provence to infuse the flavor of southeastern France, along with French lentils to make this a hearty main course. Best of all, it’s an Instant Pot friendly recipe!

This was my first experience with sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes.  First of all let’s establish that these aren’t anything like artichokes as they’re not part of the artichoke family and they’re not from Jerusalem.  Sunchokes are actually the tuberous roots of a sunflower plant.  Interesting, huh?  Sunchokes come in all shapes and sizes, and look very similar to fresh ginger root.

Over this past year my Instant Pot has become my favorite cooking vessel. Why? Because all I have to do is slice, dice, dump, and stir. It doesn’t get any easier and I don’t sacrifice one bit of flavor. You’ll see for yourself when you try a warm bowl of this comfy goodness.

This plant-based ricotta requires just a few ingredients, use it in lasagna, as a base for pizza, stuffed in shells or in zucchini boats. Best of all, it’s ready to use in 5 minutes!

When you grab for this Chocolate Bark you’ll get the best of both worlds. A sweet treat with some crunch, along with healthy seeds to give you a boost of energy when you need it. In my book I call that guilt-free chocolate!