Good Food From The Heart

Oil Free Vegan Burgers

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By: Jennifer Provenza at Good Food From The Heart

Whole Food Plant Based, Oil Free, Sugar Free, Gluten Free

These oil free vegan burgers are the ultimate summer barbeque meal. Flavorful, filling, and gluten and soy free, these burgers will fulfill all your cravings and are nutritious too!

Burger Time, Baby!

One of our favorite summer meals (of course) are burgers! There is nothing like a delicious burger with tons of toppings, served with home fries or potato salad, some melon, maybe some corn on the cob. Mmmm… Don’t get me started. When I first stopped eating meat, I worried that it would mean leaving burgers behind. I was never a huge fan of a lot of the store bought veggie burgers. They are okay, but always seemed like a consolation prize. More recently, very authentic tasting imitation meat has entered the scene and, while those burgers are delicious, they leave a lot to be desired as far as healthiness. I have had some really delicious veggie burgers from restaurants but, unfortunately, they were usually fried and dripping in oil. No wonder they tasted so good! I had the opposite problem with a lot of veggie burger recipes I found. Over the years I have tried countless oil free burger recipes, but, sadly, they all seemed to have one thing in common. They were so bland. Some of them tasted pretty good without a bun, but once you added bread, it all tasted pretty blah. Adding condiments helped, but I felt I was basically only tasting the ketchup. So, I set out to create my own veggie burger based on ingredients I love that would be not only healthy, but flavorful. I am excited to say that I was successful in my quest.

These veggie burgers are so great because they are based on bean and sweet potato. The bean offers lots of protein, but the sweet potato makes it more filling and tasty. They also contain oats, which help hold them together and add healthy carbs which make them more filling as well. The nuts also add to the flavor and texture and provide even more protein. Finally, there are a lot of other additions that just pack in a ton of flavor. These are super umami, super flavorful, and super nourishing. They are also great to make ahead and freeze. Then you can just heat them up and have dinner on the table in a few minutes.

Ingredients

Oats: I use regular rolled oats, but feel free to use certified gluten free if necessary. Make sure not to get steel cut oats as they will not give a good texture. The oats help hold the burgers together and add some healthy carbs and heft.

Kidney Beans: I use canned kidney beans (rinse first). You can use any type of bean you want, though. Pinto would work well, as would black beans. The beans help hold the burgers together and add lots of protein.

Walnuts: Make sure to use raw, not roasted or salted. Hint: you can save money by buying walnut “pieces” which is fine since you will be blending it all up anyway. The walnuts give a great texture and flavor and add lots of protein and some healthy fat.

Roasted Red Peppers: I buy the jarred variety, but feel free to roast your own if you prefer.

Sweet Potato: Peel and cook first. Roasted potato will give a sweeter, richer flavor, but microwaved or boiled is fine too. These help bind the burgers and give a delicious flavor.

Sundried Tomatoes: These provide a delicious umami flavor. Don’t skip them! Be sure to get dried ones and not ones packed in oil.

Green Onions: These provide a great flavor. Use the green part only.

Nutritional Yeast: “Nooch” provides a great, “cheesy” flavor and lots of vitamin B.

Balsamic Vinegar: This adds a wonderful, tangy flavor. I use white balsamic.

Miso Paste: This also adds an incredibly delicious umami flavor. I prefer red miso, but you can also use white.

Tahini: The tahini adds richness and healthy fat and a great flavor.

Fresh Thyme: I used thyme because I had it on hand, but feel free to substitute another herb, such as rosemary, basil, or sage.

Dijon Mustard: The dijon adds a great tangy flavor.

Salt: I offer a recommended amount, but feel free to salt to taste.

Garlic: Fresh garlic will provide a great flavor and I much prefer it to garlic powder.

How To Make These Oil Free Vegan Burgers

These burgers could not be easier to make! Make sure to start by peeling and baking your sweet potato. (You could boil or microwave if you prefer). You could do this step up to a few days in advance. Also make sure to drain and rinse the can of beans. Then, simply put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture holds together. It’s important to stop pulsing while you can still see visible peices of food and before it becomes just a paste. Err on the side of stopping early, as you can always pulse a few more times if necessary.

Next, refrigerate the mixture for about 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while the mixture is chilling. I know, it’s so tempting to skip this step, but resist the urge. I swear, almost every time I used to make a veggie burger recipe, I would skip the fridge time and my burgers would always fall apart. Try to be more patient than I am and I promise you will get good results!

Finally, form the mixture into patties. I get six patties with this recipe. Feel free to double the recipe if you need more burgers. These also freeze great, so having extra is not a bad thing!

Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and place the patties on the parchment paper. Bake for 25 minutes, turning the burgers over halfway through the cooking time.

Serve the burgers on whole wheat or gluten free buns (or in a lettuce wrap) with lots of toppings. I like to top with tomato, red onion, lettuce, avocado, and mustard. These go great with home fries, fruit or salad. These are actually great on top of a salad too. Just crumble over the lettuce, top with veggies, and add dressing. Yum! These veggie burgers are delectable served with my Sugar Free Lemonade (Vanilla Bean and Rose Flavored). They would also be perfect with my Sugar Free Plant Based Mixed Berry Pie for dessert.

Oil free vegan burgers

Oil Free Vegan Burgers

These oil free vegan burgers are the ultimate summer barbeque meal. Flavorful, filling, and gluten and soy free, these burgers will fulfill all your cravings and are nutritious too!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 219 kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • baking sheet

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup oats certified gluten free if necessary
  • 1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers
  • 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup green onions
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic diced

For serving

  • dijon mustard
  • sliced pickles or dill pickle chips
  • sliced tomatoes
  • sliced red onion
  • lettuce leaves washed and dried
  • sliced avocado
  • whole wheat or gluten free hamburger buns

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to the food processor and pulse until the mixture holds together.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating, refrigerate the mixture for 20 minutes.
  • Form the mixture into 6 patties and place on a baking sheet that is covered in parchment paper.
  • Bake for 25 minutes, turning over halfway through the cooking time. Serve on whole wheat or gluten free buns topped with dijon mustard, pickles, tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, and avocado.
Keyword burgers

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Vegan Mexican Pizza

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By Jennifer Provenza at Good Food From The Heart

Whole food plant based, oil free, sugar free, gluten free option, soy free

This vegan mexican pizza is made of creamy refried beans, sauteed vegetables, hearty corn tortillas, and is topped with a dreamy cilantro lime crema. This oil free whole food plant based casserole makes a delicious Mexican feast and is a great freeze ahead meal.

Freeze Ahead Meals

So, I haven’t talked a lot about freeze ahead meals, but let me just say that when life gets crazy, they can be a real win! We have had a pretty lazy summer so far, but things are starting to ramp up and will only get more crazy from here. The kids are now doing gymnastics once a week, dance once a week, and swim lessons. Soon, they will start twice a week soccer. And a few weeks after that school starts, and with that, homework. Plus, as I start up teaching, I will be a lot more busy too. Whew! I’m excited for our lives to be fuller again, but also already starting to feel exhausted. I know, for our family, it can be so helpful to have a delicious home cooked meal in the freezer. Then, if I am ever having one of those nights, I can just pop it in the oven and have a nutritious dinner on the table without any work. I mean, it’s not that I don’t ever do takeout, but this is a lot cheaper and a lot healthier.

A Family Favorite

So, if you are wondering what vegan Mexican pizza is, it’s basically just a whole food plant based mexican casserole. There is a story as to why we call it Mexican Pizza. When my brother was little (probably around 3), he was obsessed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the point that he only wanted to eat pizza. (In case you aren’t a fan, that’s all the ninja turtles ate). My mom, therefore, had to get creative as she started cutting his food into triangular pieces and calling it pizza. We had “quiche pizza,” actual pizza, and our Mexican casserole became…Mexican Pizza! The name has stuck and that’s what we still call it.

Now, the original recipe used flour tortillas and lots of cheese, but I have made some changes that make it a lot healthier. And, actually, I even like it better this way!

For some additional protein and vegetables, I have added a vegetable and bean saute. And, I’ve replaced the tortillas with corn tortillas and the cheese with a delicious cilantro lime crema made with cashews.

Finally, just because I like to make a large amount, I now cook this in a rectangular lasagna pan. But, if you want triangular pieces, feel free to use two 9 inch round pans instead.

vegan mexican pizza

Ingredients

Corn/Wheat Blend Tortillas: My absolute favorite tortillas to use for this recipe are corn tortillas with added wheat gluten, which makes them have more of a flour tortilla texture with a corn tortilla flavor. If you can’t find that or need to avoid gluten, feel free to use regular corn tortillas. If you wanted to, you could also use regular whole wheat tortillas, but I prefer the flavor of the corn tortillas. I like La Tortilla Factory Homemade Style.

Vegetarian Refried Beans: Make sure to get the vegetarian variety because some brands contain lard. Also, you will be adding 2 tablespoons of water just to make the beans more spreadable. No need to heat them up before using them.

Kidney Beans: I like to use kidney beans or pinto beans as the additional beans in this recipe, but any kind of beans will work. Use your favorite!

Corn: I usually use frozen corn, but fresh would be great too. Avoid canned as it does not taste nearly as good.

Roasted Red Peppers: I like to use jarred roasted red peppers because they are so soft and silky, but you can definitely roast your own fresh peppers if you are less lazy than I am. Just make sure to get them really soft.

Black Olives: These add a great flavor that you won’t want to skip. I buy pre-sliced because, again, lazy.

Mild Green Chilis: I love the flavor of mild green chilis. Feel free to use spicy if you aren’t feeding kids and you like spicy food.

Cumin, Chili Powder, Shallot: They add lots of flavor so don’t skip!

Canned tomato sauce: I buy the cans labeled “tomato sauce” and they usually contain some salt and onion powder and such. If you buy tomato puree, you may want to add some salt and onion or garlic powder to taste before using.

Cashews: The cashews provide the base for the crema. If you don’t have a high speed blender, you will need to pour boiling water over them and soak them for an hour before using. (Or soak overnight in cold water). You can skip this step if you have a high speed blender.

Cilantro: This provides the main flavor for the crema. You could try substituting basil if you are not a fan, but otherwise you will love the flavor this provides!

Lime: The lime juice provides a necessary tartness and tang. Don’t skip it!

Nutritional Yeast: This adds that cheesy flavor that you want the crema to have.

Canned Mild Chilis: For this, I use two whole mild chilis from a can. (Not two cans of mild chilis). You could also do 1/4 cup of mild diced chilis from a can if you can’t find the whole ones.

Salt: You can use it to taste, but I use a teaspoon because the salt really brings out the other flavors.

Garlic: Use fresh, if possible. I buy it jarred and pre crushed. Yay for lazy!

How To Make This Vegan Mexican Pizza

There are a few steps to this recipe, but it’s quite fool proof and can definitely be made in advance. Start by making your cilantro lime crema. If you don’t have a high speed blender, pour boiling water over the cashews and soak them for an hour. You can skip this step if you do have a high speed blender.

To make the crema, combine all the crema ingredients in your blender and blend until completely smooth. Set aside.

Next, mix the refried beans with the water to make it more spreadable and set aside. (No need to heat the beans).

To make the saute, add the kidney beans, corn, roasted red pepper, black olives, mild green chilis, shallot, cumin, and chili powder to a non stick pan. Add a few tablespoons of water to keep it from sticking and cook over medium heat until the shallot is transluscent and the vegetables are warmed through. Add 1/4 cup of the crema to the mixture and stir. Remove from the heat.

Put It All Together

Now it’s time to assemble this oil free whole food plant based Mexican casserole. Yeah! Start by spreading about a half a cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of your lasagna pan. If the pan is not non stick, you may want to spray on a little non stick spray first. Next, layer tortillas over the bottom of the pan. I usually do two large tortillas side by side and then rip another tortilla into pieces to fill in the empty spots. (Round tortilla, rectangular pan problems…). Next, cover the tortillas with another half cup of sauce, half the refried beans, and half of the vegetable mixture.

Cover this layer with more tortilllas and tortilla pieces, then add another half cup of sauce and the rest of the refried beans and vegetable mixture. Finally, top with more tortillas and tortilla pieces and cover with the last half cup of tomato sauce. Bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. After you remove the vegan Mexican pizza from the oven, pour the remainder of the cilantro lime crema all over the top. Allow to cool for five minutes, then cut into pieces and serve. This makes eight servings, but prepare to eat at least two pieces because it’s hard to stop at just one! This goes great with a salad or fresh fruit. For an extra yummy treat, blend up some frozen raspberries with some kombucha (or hard kombucha) and enjoy a sweet, frozen beverage with your dinner.

This oil free whole food plant based Mexican casserole also goes perfectly with my Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Nice Cream for dessert.

vegan mexican pizza
vegan mexican pizza

Vegan Mexican Pizza

This vegan mexican pizza is made of creamy refried beans, sauteed vegetables, hearty corn tortillas, and is topped with a dreamy cilantro lime crema. This oil free whole food plant based casserole makes a delicious Mexican feast and is a great freeze ahead meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8
Calories 297 kcal

Equipment

  • 9×13 lasagna pan
  • high speed blender
  • non stick frying pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package corn and wheat tortilla blend or just corn or wheat tortillas
  • 1 can vegetarian refried beans
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernals
  • 1 cup jarred roasted red pepper strips chopped
  • 1/2 cup black olives sliced
  • 1/4 cup canned diced mild green chilis
  • 1/4 cup shallot diced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 cups tomato sauce canned

For the Cilantro Lime Crema

  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 canned mild chilis
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 clove garlic diced

Instructions
 

  • If you do not have a high speed blender, boil water and pour it over your cashews. Soak for one hour, then drain.
  • Pour your cashews into a blender. (No need to soak them if you have a high speed blender). Add the cilantro, nutritional yeast, water, garlic, mild chilis, salt and lime juice. Blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
  • Mix the refried beans with the water to make them more spreadable. Set aside.
  • In a non stick frying pan, combine the kidney beans, corn, bell peppers, olives, diced green chilis, shallot, cumin, and chili powder. Add a few tablespoons of water to keep from sticking. Add about 1/4 cup of the crema to this mixture and cook over medium heat until the shallots are transluscent and the vegetables are warmed through. Remove from heat.
  • To assemble the casserole, spray the bottom of the lasagna pan with non stick spray (if necessary). Pour about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Cover the sauce in a layer of tortillas. You may have to tear some peices off of additional tortillas to fill in the gaps. Cover the layer of tortillas in another 1/2 cup of tomato sauce.
  • Over the tomato sauce, spread half of the refried beans and top with half of the vegetable mixture. Cover with another layer of tortillas and top with 1/2 cup tomato sauce, the rest of the refried beans, and the rest of the vegetable mixture.
  • Top with the another layer of tortillas and cover with the last 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and drizzle the cilantro lime crema all over the top of the casserole. Allow to cool for five minutes, then slice into pieces and serve.
Keyword casserole

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Whole Food Plant Based Oatmeal Cookies

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By Jennifer Provenza at Good Food From The Heart

whole food plant based oatmeal cookies

Whole food plant based, Oil Free, Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free

These whole food plant based oatmeal cookies are totally decadent and loaded with chocolate, yet free of oil, sugar, and gluten. Serve with a big glass of plant based milk!

Lazy Summer Days

We are really enjoying spending time together and relaxing at home this summer and playing with our sweet puppy, Coco. We haven’t done much this week, except take the kids to swim lessons and have a barbeque with Ian’s parents and his brother, in from Seattle. The next two weeks, our kids get to do summer camp. (Robot building camp, anyone?) Sounds awesome, right? And then, we have one last quick summer trip planned. This one will be a camping trip and one thing (besides S’mores) that I always bring when we go camping is cookies! Each day that we camp, we like to bring a picnic lunch on our hike or lake visit and I feel like a picnic is so much more festive and delicious with homemade cookies! One of our family favorites is whole food plant based oatmeal cinnamon chocolate chip cookies. My grandma used to make a version as one of her Christmas cookies and I always loved them. These ones, though? You won’t need to wait for Christmas because they are healthy enough to eat for breakfast. In fact, I give these to my six year old as a healthy snack or breakfast because getting whole grains and protein in that kid is practically impossible!

These vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are not only dairy free, oil free, gluten free, and sugar free, but they are packed with whole grains from the oatmeal and protein from the almond butter. But even better, they taste like a truly delicious cookie that even kids will love! Try taking them on your next camping trip. Or, on a cold winter day, settle in with a cup of tea or coffee, a journal or a book. They also make a great after school snack to eat while doing homework. I hope your family loves these cookies as much as mine does.

Ingredients

Oats and Oat Flour: You can use either regular rolled oats for this recipe, or certified gluten free oats if necessary for you. To make the oat flour, just blend the half of the oats called for in the recipe in a high speed blender or a food processor. Don’t use steel cut oats, as you will not get the correct consistancy. Alternatively, you could buy oat flour, but I’ve had issues with the store bought oat flour having a bitter flavor and it’s easy and quick to make your own!

Liquid Stevia or Coconut Sugar: As usual, I give you a totally calorie free version made with liquid stevia and a refined sugar free version made with coconut sugar. Use whichever sweetener you prefer. If using liquid stevia, mix it into the wet ingredients. If using coconut sugar, mix it into the dry ingredients. Either way, the cookies will come great!

Unsweetened Plant Milk: Use any kind you like, but I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

Unsweetened Almond Butter: The almond butter replaces the butter in this recipe and gives you lots of protein instead of empty calories.

Vanilla: I love to use bourbon vanilla extract.

Cinnamon: The cinnamon really adds some sweetness and flavor to these cookies, so don’t skip it!

Chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, or raisins: I love using chocolate chunks or large chocolate chips to really give it that blast of chocolate flavor, but regular chocolate chips are fine too. Be sure to use dark chocolate with no dairy added. I also love using chocolate sweetened with stevia to keep it sugar free. There are also some brands that use unrefined sugar, so look around and see what you can find. Alternatively, these taste great made with raisins.

whole food plant based oatmeal cookies

How To Make These Whole Food Plant Based Oatmeal Cookies

These whole food plant based cinnamon oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are so easy and quick to make! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, start by making your oat flour. Take one cup of the oats and blend them into a flour consistancy either in a high speed blender or in a food processor. Next, mix the oat flour, oats, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a large mixing bowl. If you are using coconut sugar, add it now too. Mix it all together and then take out a small bowl for your wet ingredients.

To the small bowl, add the almond butter. If it is very solid, you may need to heat it a bit in the microwave or in a small pot on the stovetop until it is more runny and mixable. Add the plant milk and vanilla and stir. If you are using liquid stevia, add that now too.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Finally, fold in the chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, or raisins.

Put a sheet of parchment paper over your baking sheet and use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to form the batter into cookies on the sheet. You may need to flatten them a bit with your fingers. This recipe will either make 12 small or 6 large cookies. I prefer to make mine large, but you do you. You can definitely also double the recipe and make 12 large cookies. I mean, why not? Bake for 8-10 minutes. If you’ve made the cookies small, definitely check them at 8 minutes or even a bit sooner. The large ones take 10 minutes for me.

Cool on the pan for five minutes and then transfer to a cookie rack. Store in an airtight container. These also freeze well. These cookies are delicious served with a tall glass of cold vanilla almond milk or with some coffee or tea. They also work well in my Plant Based Banana Pudding recipe. (Just omit the chocolate chips or raisins and add an extra 1/4 cup coconut sugar).

whole food plant based oatmeal cookies
whole food plant based oatmeal cookies

Whole Food Plant Based Oatmeal Cookies

These whole food plant based oatmeal cookies are totally decadent and loaded with chocolate, yet free of oil, sugar, and gluten. Serve with a big glass of plant based milk!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 cookies
Calories 220 kcal

Equipment

  • cookie sheet
  • Food Processor

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup oats (gluten free if necessary)
  • 1 cup oats (gluten free if necessary) blended into flour in food processor or blender
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia or 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips or raisins preferably sweetened with stevia or other unrefined sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To begin, measure out a cup of oats and blend in a food processor or high speed blender to create oat flour. Measure a cup of this flour and add to a large bowl.
  • Add the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and coconut sugar (if using). Stir to combine.
  • In a small bowl, combine the almond butter, liquid stevia (if using), plant milk, and vanilla.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well.
  • Add the chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, or raisins and stir to combine.
  • Place a sheet of parchment paper over the cookie sheet and scoop batter onto the cookie sheet. This batter will make 12 small or 6 large cookies. Flatten slightly with your fingers if necessary. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  • Let cool for five minutes, then transfer to a cookie rack to cool fully.
  • These cookies are great served warm with a big glass of ice cold plant milk or with coffee or tea. They also work well crumbled and used in my Sugar Free Banana Pudding (just omit the chocolate chips and add an extra 1/4 cup coconut sugar).
Keyword cookies

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Plant Based Banana Pudding

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By: Jennifer Provenza at Good Food From The Heart

Whole Food Plant Based, Oil Free, Sugar Free, Soy free, Nut Free


This whole food plant based banana pudding combines coconut milk pudding, coconut whipped cream, and cookie crumbles to make a delicious southern-style dessert that will be a perfect addition to your summer bbq.

Sweet Summer Days

It has been hot here. Hot. With these temperatures over 100 degrees, it calls for a nice cold and delicious dessert to round out a summer barbeque. Luckily, we were able to escape the heat this last week with a quick trip to Monterey to celebrate my mother in law’s birthday. We got to visit the aquarium and check out the tide pools. We even saw a purple crab! My kids enjoyed themselves and I was excited to try some delicious vegan dishes from local restaurants, including an incredible curry from Julie’s Vegetarian restaurant and a portabello mushroom and eggplant sandwich from some other local restaurants (hold the cheese!). Now that we are back, it’s all about the dinners that we can cook without the oven and enjoy on our new patio table. Thank goodness our yard gets shade in the afternoon and early evening.

Dessert!

I love this vegan banana pudding and I know you will too! It comes together quickly and really satisfies that craving for a creamy, sweet summer dessert. To make this pudding without the egg, butter, and milk, you simply use coconut milk and arrowroot powder to thicken it. The coconut whipped cream comes together in a flash. If you are in a hurry, you could even use store bought coconut whipped cream and store (or bakery) bought plant based cookies. I prefer to make my own so that I can make them oil free, but you may be able to find some healthy plant based cookies at a specialty store.

Ingredients

Light Coconut Milk: I use light coconut milk for this recipe to make it a little lower in fat, but you could use full fat coconut milk for a richer dessert.

Sweetener: I use liquid stevia for no sugar, but you can definitely use maple syrup or coconut sugar for a refined sugar free version. Maple syrup will give it a slight maple flavor, which isn’t bad, but just be aware of that.

Arrowroot Powder: This is healthier than cornstarch, but does the same thing. (It thickens the milk into pudding).

Vanilla Extract: I love bourbon vanilla extract best, but use whatever kind you prefer. You could even add some vanilla bean for extra vanilla flavor.

Coconut Cream: This is used to make the coconut whipped cream. Make sure to only use the thick cream at the top of the can of coconut milk. If you include the liquidy part, it will not whip up.

Bananas: Be sure to use really nice, ripe bananas so that you get lots of sweetness. (Not overripe, though, or the result will not be very visually appealing.

Plant Based Cookies: I will share a recipe coming soon for plant based cookies, but feel free to make any recipe you like or buy some. Vanilla, sugar cookies, or oatmeal cookies will work best for this recipe.

plant based banana pudding

How To Make This Plant Based Banana Pudding

To make this whole food plant based banana pudding, you will start by mixing the arrowroot powder and salt in a small bowl and combine it with the water, making sure there are no lumps. (Don’t skip this step! If you add the powder directly to the coconut milk you will end up with very lumpy pudding). Next, put the coconut milk and sweetener of choice in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then add the arrowroot powder mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for two minutes, then remove from the heat and add the vanilla. At this point, I recommend tasting it and making sure it is sweet enough for you. As written, this pudding is only lightly sweet. If necessary, add more sweetener to taste. Refrigerate the pudding for at least ten minutes.

While your pudding is cooling, add the plant based cookies to the food processor and pulse until you have 1-2 cups of cookie crumbs (depending on how much cookie you want in your vegan banana pudding).

Next, take the creamy parts from the tops of the cans of full fat coconut milk and add to a stand mixture. Add your sweetener of choice and blend with the whisk attachment until it reaches a whipped cream consistancy. Taste and add more sweetener if you prefer it sweeter.

Before assembling, slice your bananas into rounds.

Finally, assemble your plant based banana pudding by layering pudding, cookie crumbs, and banana slices. I like to make mine in individual glass jars, but you can also use a large bowl. Once assembled, refrigerate the pudding for at least two hours and serve cold from the refrigerator. Round out your summer meal with my Vanilla Bean and Rose Lemonade.

plant based banana pudding
plant based banana pudding

Plant Based Banana Pudding

This whole food plant based banana pudding combines coconut milk pudding, coconut whipped cream, and cookie crumbles to make a delicious southern-style dessert that will be a perfect addition to your summer bbq.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 347 kcal

Equipment

  • sauce pan
  • stand mixer
  • Food Processor

Ingredients
  

For the Coconut Vanilla Pudding

  • 2 cups light coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia or 1/2 cup coconut sugar or maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Coconut Whipped Cream

  • 2 cans heavy coconut milk (use only the thick cream on top)
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia or 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or maple syrup or to taste

To Serve

  • 2 ripe bananas sliced
  • 1-2 cups plant based cookies, crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Begin by making the coconut milk vanilla pudding. Mix the arrowroot powder with the salt and the water and stir until smooth. Set aside.
  • In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat the coconut milk and your sweetener of choice over medium heat until it begins to boil. Add the arrowroot powder mixture.
  • Stir contantly for two minutes, turning down the heat if necessary to keep the mixture from burning. When the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and add vanilla. Taste and add more sweetener if you prefer it to be sweeter.
  • Refrigerate pudding for at least ten minutes.
  • To make the coconut whipped cream, remove just the thick cream from the top of the cans of full fat coconut milk. Add the cream to a stand mixer, along with your sweetener of choice, and use the whisk attachment to beat on a high speed until you achieve a whipped cream texture. Taste and add sweetener if desired.
  • Chop two ripe bananas into slices.
  • Add your plant based cookies to a food processor and pulse several times until you have a cookie crumble.

To Assemble

  • In four small jars or one large bowl, layer sliced bananas on the bottom. cover with a layer of coconut banana pudding, then a layer of coconut whipped cream. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients or room in your bowl or jars. 3 layers is ideal. If necessary, slice additional bananas or crumble additional cookies. Refrigerate and serve when completely cold.

Notes

T

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Vegan Cherry Pie Filling

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By Jennifer Provenza at Good Food From The Heart

Whole food plant based, oil free, sugar free, gluten free, soy free

This vegan cherry pie filling is sweet as a summer day and goes perfectly in a pie or over ice cream, yogurt, or oatmeal.

4th of July Cherry Pie

What’s the perfect dessert for the fourth? Well, I love anything from coconut milk ice cream with berries to strawberry shortcake, but you just can’t beat pie for the fourth of July! This summer is shaping up to be a HOT one, but we are getting out and enjoying ourselves as much as we can. We just got back from a really fun trip to Disneyland and California Adventure with a detour to Universal Studios to check out Harry Potter land. The kids had a blast and we were able to visit my brother and sister in law and my adorable niece. On a side note, Disneyland has so many great vegan options now! I had a delicious cauliflower sandwich, cauliflower tacos, potato tacos, Dole Whip, and an Impossible Burger. It was all very yummy, but of course contained plenty of oil, which left me feeling a bit yucky. I’m so glad to be home and back to my normal whole food plant based diet. And, luckily, I still get to have delicious desserts, such as this vegan cherry pie filling that will be a perfect summertime treat. Along with my healthy whole wheat pie crust (made with a combo of whole wheat and almond flour), this is a great dessert to bring to picnics or potlucks.

Ingredients

Dark, Sweet Cherries: I just use frozen cherries for this recipe, because I am way too lazy to remove the pits from fresh cherries, but by all means go for it if you have more patience than I do. Just be sure the cherries are nice and ripe and sweet.

Arrowroot Powder: This will thicken your whole food plant based cherry pie filling. Cornstarch works too, but arrowroot powder is a healthier choice. Here is some more info on Arrowroot Powder if you are curious about it.

Fresh Lemon Juice: The tartness of the lemon juice really brings out the sweetness of the cherries. Don’t skip it!

Liquid Stevia or Maple Syrup: Personally, I use liquid stevia since it is a totally sugar free option, but maple syrup is still unrefined sugar and will give you a great flavor. The recipe as written is not super sweet, so feel free to add more sweetener to your liking. Depending on how sweet your cherries are, you may need to add more than the recipe calls for.

Almond Extract: This is optional and you could use vanilla instead if you prefer, but I love the way the almond extract brings out the flavor of the cherries. So good!

Whole Wheat Oil Free Pie Crust: You will also need my recipe for whole wheat oil free pie crust if you are using this whole food plant based cherry pie filling to make a pie.

Ingredients for Crumb Topping

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: Make sure to use this or white whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour will be too grainy.

Oats: Just use regular oatmeal for this.

Light Coconut Milk: This helps bind the mixture together. Regular coconut milk is fine too but will add more fat.

Almond Butter: Be sure to use unsweetened almond butter. The almond butter provides a healthy fat and some protein.

Liquid Stevia or Coconut Sugar: Liquid stevia will give you a calorie and sugar free option, but coconut sugar is still unrefined and will work great.

How To Make This Vegan Cherry Pie Filling

This recipe is so quick and easy to make! If you are making a pie, start by making my whole wheat oil free pie crust. Then, all you need to do is combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then continue to cook it down for about 8-10 minutes, until it is nice and thick. At this point, give it a little taste and see if you need to add more sweetener. (You may want to let it cool just a bit so you don’t burn your tongue!) Once it tastes exactly as sweet as you like, you can either serve over vegan ice cream, yogurt, or oatmeal or pour it into an unbaked pie shell.

Next, you’ll want to make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, mix together the oats, flour, almond butter, cinnamon, light coconut milk, and liquid stevia or coconut sugar. Use your fingers to really mix it together into a crumbly texture and then sprinkle it evenly over the whole surface of the pie. Optionally, spray the top of the pie with some non stick spray. This will give it a more golden color as it bakes. Finally, bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. If the crust starts to turn too dark, simply cover the pie with a sheet of aluminum foil. This vegan cherry pie filling is so versatile and delicious! It brings me right back to my childhood, eating cherry pie at my grandma’s house. At the same time, this version is so healthy you can easily enjoy it for breakfast! I highly recommend topping the pie with coconut milk whipped cream or vegan vanilla ice cream. And you might want to double the recipe because it won’t be around long! Yum!

vegan cherry pie filling

Vegan Cherry Pie Filling

This vegan cherry pie filling is sweet as a summer day and goes perfectly in a pie or over ice cream, yogurt, or oat meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 67 kcal

Equipment

  • sauce pan

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cups dark, sweet cherries (frozen) or fresh and pits removed
  • 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 11/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia or 2 tablespoons maple syrup or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 recipe whole wheat oil free pie crust

For Crumb Topping (If Making Pie)

  • 1/4 cup oats
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 3 tablespoons light coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia or 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Instructions
 

  • If making a pie, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Lower heat slightly to keep mixture simmering. Cook, stirring, for about 8-10 minutes until the filling is hot and thickened.
  • If using for a pie, pour into an unbaked pie shell.
  • In a small bowl, mix the oats, flour, stevia or coconut sugar, almond butter, and light coconut milk. Use your fingers to really mix it all together into a crumbly texture. Cover the top of the pie with the crumb mixture.
  • Optionally, if desired, spray the top of the pie with a few sprays of nonstick spray to make it turn a golden color. It's good for all of the crumb topping to be moistened so you don't end up with any dry flour on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pie is lightly golden and the berry mixture is bubbling. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover with foil.
  • This pie tastes great served warm with non dairy ice cream or coconut whipped cream on top.