vegan

As a regular vegan home chef without any special training, the idea of making my own ravioli was a little intimidating not too long ago. But since I've managed to create beautiful, delicious ravioli at home, I am sure that you can too! And this vegan butternut squash ravioli recipe is worth all the work when you taste it.

For the butternut squash filling, I really wanted to let the flavor of the squash shine, so I didn't add any tofu or vegan cheese. Instead, I added garlic, almonds, lemon juice, and seasonings to enhance the creamy sweetness of the squash. I also used a basic sage-butter sauce with mushrooms to complement the ravioli filling without overpowering it.

A "curry" dish is hard to define, since it can use many types of sauces (or no sauce), and many different spice blends. Many of the chickpea curry recipes on the internet are some form of the American version of channa masala, made with garam masala (a blend of cumin, coriander, and other spices), tomatoes, and a coconut milk base.

In this dish, I wanted to create something slightly different, so I used a spice blend that contains more turmeric (similar to Caribbean curries). I also used raw cashews as a base for the creamy sauce. Both turmeric and ginger have anti-inflammatory properties, so I love adding them to my dishes. As Hippocrates said, "let thy food be thy medicine."

Let me start by saying that I've never been a big fan of vegan pizzas—especially vegan cheese pizzas—because they usually just taste okay. (However, I do enjoy a veggie-topped pizza with just a little vegan cheese). That's not the case with this pizza. I am not exaggerating when I say that this Detroit-style pizza tastes phenomenal.

Until recently, I never knew that my favorite pizza was actually Detroit-stye pizza. When I tried it for the first time at Jet's Pizza in Fort Lauderdale, I thought it was just Sicilian pizza. While Detroit-style pizza is actually a descendant of Sicilian pizza, there are a few differences. With Detroit-style pizza, the cheese goes all the way to the edges and forms a crispy browned cheese crust. The sauce is often piled on top of the cheese as well, creating a gooey blend of bread and cheese under the sauce. This "red-top" method of making pizza actually works quite well for vegan pizza, since vegan cheese tends to melt better when it's surrounded by sauce.

Have you decided to go plant-based for the month of January, but don't know where to start? Knowing what to eat can be the hardest part of a new diet, but it can also be the most exciting part! If you approach it as an adventure, going vegan for a month (or longer) can be a great opportunity to try new foods you never knew you would love so much.

When I was a teenager, jalapeño poppers were one of my favorite appetizers. There's just something about a jalapeño pepper stuffed with a creamy filling and wrapped in a crunchy breaded crust. Recently, I was reminded of my beloved snack and decided to make a vegan version.

When I looked around the internet, all of the vegan recipes were open-faced stuffed jalapeños, without the breaded coating that I remember. While those stuffed jalapeños do look pretty, they just weren't quite what I was looking for. So I set out to make my own. And I soon realized why all those recipes were made without the coating: it's not easy to get jalapeños perfectly coated! However, after weeks of trial and error, I've finally come up with a method that creates the perfect crunchy coating.

I called this chocolate-açaí smoothie a pudding smoothie, because that's what it tastes like. More accurately, it tastes like something of a cross between pudding and chocolate-raspberry cheesecake. Either way, it's absolutely delicious. I'm happy to use this to replace dessert, without feeling like I'm missing anything at all.

The flavors in this smoothie are so nicely balanced, as the cacao brings out the açaí's flavor, and the bananas and yogurt add creaminess. It's a little bit of an indulgence, but as indulgences go, this one's relatively healthy!

I was first introduced to açaí berries in 2011, when I visited Rio de Janeiro. It was a hot day on the beach in Ipanema, and my Brazilian friend led me to the vendor selling açaí cups along the beach walkway. She said most Americans don't like açaí, but I loved it. Later, it became more popular in the United States and now I can easily buy frozen acai packets at my local grocery store.

While acai bowls and cups are the "normal" way of consuming acai, I really like acai in smoothies as well. I've experimented a lot, and one of my favorite smoothies is "PB & Açaí", with, you guessed it, peanut butter. I also used homemade cashew milk in this recipe to make it even creamier, and frozen strawberries to balance the mellow flavor of the peanut butter.

This strawberry-açaí smoothie is my perfect summer smoothie recipe! It's light and refreshing, and oh-so-delicious. Strawberries and açaí create a classic flavor combination that's tart but sweet.

If you're unfamiliar with açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-EE), it's a fruit that grows in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Brazilians have been enjoying it in cups and bowls for a long time, but it only recently became more popular in the United States. Because the fruit doesn't last very long, the best way to get it here is either in frozen or powdered form.

I had my first taste of açaí in 2011 at a beachside stand in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was a simple cup of frozen tart fruit topped with granola and banana slices. Since that time, I'm happy to report that açaí has become more widely available in the United States, from juices to powders to frozen packets. Unfortunately, the fruit spoils too quickly to be transported here fresh.

Açaí bowls are the most common way to enjoy this exotic fruit, but I've come to love acaiaçaí smoothies just as much. It's a really versatile flavor that makes great combinations with other fruits, and even chocolate and peanut butter. I've decided to share my four favorite açaí smoothie recipes with you so you can enjoy this fruit just as much as I do!