Walnut Pesto

I love making pesto because it is so versatile. If I have a jar of it, I can reach for it for pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and veggie dip. Here's how I make mine:

More pictures on my Instagram: @veganlifeisgood

Vegan Walnut Pesto:
-1 or 2 cups raw walnuts, soaked in fresh water a few hours or overnight, then rinsed
-1 med. bunch of basil (2- 3 cups packed)
-1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
-3 garlic cloves
-juice of 1 lemon
-salt, to taste
*optional: vegan Parmesan
-tools: a food processor

Pesto is always an experiment that involves me hovering over my food processor with my taster spoon. I start with some of the walnuts and some of the basil and oil and build from there. I wouldn't even say these are the exact measurements because I add a little here, another there. Flavorwise, I tend to be light on the basil and toss in extra garlic. Oil goes in til the perfect mix of chunkiness and spread-ability happens.

When I dip my spoon in and it finally comes back with a Halleluiah chorus singing on my taste buds, I throw it in a mason jar and enjoy it for up to 5 days. I don't know if that's the shelf life, I've just never had a batch last longer than that before being devoured! If you have extra you can also freeze it.

Tip: You can substitute pine nuts for walnuts to make a more traditional pesto, or sub parsley for basil in a pinch.

Homemade Vegan Cream Cheese/Sour Cream

Last night I made a couple of major discoveries.
The first was that I can make my own cream cheese/sour cream substitute at home with just some cashews and a few common ingredients.
The second was that they are the same recipe.

I made vegan, soy free and gluten free sour cream to add to a vegan Mexican pizza (delicious recipe coming soon). At first I was really taken aback by the flavor, probably because I was expecting it to be just like non-vegan sour cream, plus I'm not used to apple cider vinegar. I actually thought, "Ick." Then I tried some more. Then some more. Then more. I realized I was licking it off the rubber scraper, then diving back for even more.

I can't really describe how the flavor works. But it was amazing on the Mexican pizza, and also delicious the next morning on toast, as a cream cheese, with a fruity jelly.
I am really, really excited about it.

Homemade Vegan Sour Cream AND Cream Cheese:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked a few hours or overnight
• 1/4 cup fresh water
• 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• juice of once lemon
• dash of salt (optional)

See photos for steps! 1. Soak (then drain, of course!)  2. Blend  3. ServeI only had time to soak the cashews for about 2 hours, and it worked fine. I used the Magic Bullet blender, which made short work of things.

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Corn Salsa Lettuce Wraps

Yesterday I posted my super healthy and yummy mango salsa recipe. I must be on a salsa kick, because to day I bring you one better:

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Vegan Corn Salsa Wraps w/ Romaine "Chips"

• Romaine leaves, washed and separated, plus I chop a few up into "chip size" pieces for dipping
• Fresh raw corn sliced from 1 ear
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1 avocado, cubed or mashed*
• 1 minced garlic clove
• chopped fresh cilantro
• Fresh lime juice, to taste
• Salt to taste (optional)
• Cayenne to taste (optional)

Combine everything in a bowl. *I cubed the avocado for looks, but it honestly holds a wrap better if you mash it! Spoon onto lettuce leaves or use the small, crispier romaine pieces to dip like chips.

Note: If you are not concerned about eating raw food, adding some hot sauce to this might float your boat. This is another crowd-pleaser and a great vegan "show-off" dish, so go for it if you've got a BBQ or party on the horizon!

Easy Spicy Mango Salsa

One of the joys of moving to a bigger house has been entertaining more company. I love having people over and practicing my vegan recipes on them! This one is great for summer BBQs or as an appetizer for game night:

My Instagram: @veganlifeisgood

Spicy Mango Salsa

• 1-2 ripe mangos, peeled then cubed
• 1 tsp minced jalapeno
• 1/4 red onion, sliced in long, thin strips then minced
• chopped fresh cilantro to taste (I use about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, minced

Although this can be thrown together quickly, I like to make it a few hours ahead of serving if I can and let the flavors marinate in the fridge. The last time I made this it tasted a million times better the next day than when I'd served it the night before!