Flavor doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Those fancy restaurants are trying to fool you! Really, it’s all about flavor combinations and using the right spices and fresh ingredients to produce amazing flavor. And the good news is, you can create outstanding flavor at home, in your own kitchen. We are going to show you how to mix and match ingredients to create simple vegan recipes.
What food is tasty and healthy?
First you want to start with flavorful ingredients. Here are a few main items that are tasty and healthy. We are going to add spice combinations to some of these items to make flavorful dishes. Of course, there are many other base foods that you may find flavorful that could be added to this list. For purposes of creating simple dishes, we are going to work with the following.
- Blueberries (can be frozen)
- Toasted Almonds
- Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (Toasting brings out the flavor!)
- Toasted Sunflower Seeds
- Toasted Coconut
- Oranges
- Lemon/Lime
- Avocado
- Arugula
- Chickpeas
Spice it Up!
Now, for a list of spices that are great to have on hand and add a punch of yum to different dishes.
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Turmeric
- Sweet Peppers
- Chili Powder
- Garlic
Simple and Easy Vegan Recipes
And now to mix it up! Here are recipes that use some of the above ingredients. The fun part is to play with the spice combinations and adjust flavors to your liking. Notes are included with each link to give adaptation ideas.
Chickpeas + Cumin + Lemon = Hummus
Notes: You can make hummus without tahini! I hate it when I am missing tahini and am already half way through the recipe. Add a dash of chili powder or chop up sweet peppers to give this some extra zing.
Toasted Sunflower Seeds + Toasted Pumpkin Seeds + Toasted Almonds + Toasted Coconut + Raisins = Grain Free Granola
Notes: No recipe needed for this one, talk about simple! Just mix them all together and you’ve got a flavorful snack of Grain Free Granola. Get crazy and throw in some chia or flax seeds, while you’re at it.
Arugula + Fresh Blueberries + Toasted Seeds + Lemon = Simple Salad
Notes: Again, no recipe needed! And if you aren’t a fan of arugula, make this with spinach or a salad mix. Squeeze the lemon over the salad, add a twist of salt and you’ve made a simple fresh salad! Get crazy and throw some toasted coconut on the top!
Blueberries + Oranges + Water = Fruit Infused Beverage
Notes: You really don’t need a recipe for this! But this link has some great ideas on different flavor combinations.
Chickpeas + Garlic + Cumin + Coriander + Turmeric + Chili Powder = Chickpea Curry
Notes: In this linked recipe, use this homemade curry powder to replace the spice requirements in this recipe. You can make your own curry powder, it’s easy.
1TBS ground coriander + 1 ½ tsp cumin + 1 tsp turmeric +
½ tsp or each ground black pepper and chili powder + ½ tsp ground ginger
Avocado + Cacao Powder = Chocolate Pudding
Notes: You’d never think it, but avocados make an amazing base for chocolate pudding. Try it and be amazed!
These recipes are as easy as 1+1 = Fresh and Flavorful! Have fun mixing and matching.
