If you’re looking for ways to have a flavorful dose of protein between two buns this weekend for the unofficial start of summer, look no further than this Swiss mushroom quinoa burger. You can easily make a batch of 8 burgers to cook for a crowd or keep a few in the freezer for when you need a veggie option for a cookout. A meat-free bouillon paste adds savory umami notes. You likely have the rest of the ingredients for the patties in your pantry!

Swiss Mushroom Quinoa Burgers

Makes 8

Total Time: 25 minutes, plus 1-hour chilling time

Vegetarian, Dairy-Free

2 large eggs

4 large garlic cloves, grated or finely minced

2 tablespoons beef-less vegetarian soup base

2 ½ cups cooked quinoa

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and mashed

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons avocado oil

8 burger buns

8 slices plant-based Swiss cheese (chao)

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 romaine leaves

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Ketchup

Mustard

1. In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, garlic, oil, and soup base seasoning. Mix in cooked quinoa, mashed chickpeas, and breadcrumbs.
2. Divide mixture into 8 equal parts and roll into balls. Flatten each ball into a 3 ½ inch patty. Place burgers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for an hour before cooking.
3. Heat a skillet on medium with 3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Cook patties 3 minutes per side or until heated through and golden in color. Served topped with your favorite toppings.

Looking for a quick snack? These coconut hemp protein bites are ready in minutes and perfectly portioned for lunch boxes, the mid-afternoon slump, or to fuel your next workout. The recipe is scalable and customizable. Double it so you always have a quick bite on hand when hunger strikes. You can swap nuts or dried fruit, add a flavored protein powder, or skip the shredded coconut. Make sure you write down the changes as you make them—there’s nothing worse than perfecting your secret recipe and not being able to replicate it!

Coconut Hemp Protein Bites

Makes 14

Total Time: 10 minutes

Grain-Free, Vegan

½ cup raisins

1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds

¼ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup hemp protein powder

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons hemp hearts

1 tablespoon chia seeds

½ cup almond butter

½ cup shredded coconut

1. In a food processor, place raisins, nuts, sunflower seeds, hemp protein, maple syrup, hemp hearts, and chia seeds. Run machine until mixture is finely minced.
2. Place nut/seed mixture in a mixing bowl and work in almond butter until dough forms.
3. Scoop mixture into tablespoon amounts and roll into balls then coat in shredded coconut. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Full of protein and dressed with a creamy homemade Caesar dressing, this salad is quick and satisfying. Don’t skimp on all the extras! We love the textures and flavors that the toppings bring, from rich avocado to tangy pickled red onion and crunchy tortilla chips. Romaine lettuce holds up well to the warm beans and taco filling, but feel free to substitute your favorite hearty green.

Taco Caesar Salad

Serves 2-3

Total Time: 40 minutes

Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

3.4-ounce package taco seasoned plant-based crumbles

½ cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

½ head romaine lettuce, chopped

½ cup pickled red onion, drained

1 avocado, chopped

½ cup cilantro leaves

½ cup shaved parmesan

3 ounces corn tortilla chips

Dressing:

½ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1. Cook taco crumbles based on the package instructions. Stir in black beans and heat until warmed through.
2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
3. Place warm crumbles and black beans as the base of the salad on plates. Arrange romaine, pickled onion, avocado, cilantro, and parmesan on top. Drizzle salads with dressing and top with broken tortilla chips.

There have been odd food celebrations and holidays long before social media. Some of them are fun while others seem a bit unnecessary. There’s a beverage day! We recommend you consume beverages every day. This agua fresca is a great recipe that shouldn’t be confined to ‘beverage day’–it should be on your rotation all summer long. Fresh, bubbly, and complex, it’s the mocktail you never knew you needed. Ready in minutes, it’s perfect for unexpected guests.

Lime Ginger Cucumber Mint Agua Fresca

Serves 6

Total Time: 5 minutes

2 cans Lime Ginger Nixie Sparkling Water

3 cucumbers, blended

1 cup water

Ice

4-5 sprigs mint

1. Mix ingredients in a large pitcher.
2. Serve with mint garnish. Enjoy!

Check out the super easy, super tasty recipe for Nacho’ Normal Nachos below! ‘Cause sometimes, you just don’t feel like doing the “norm.” A base of crunchy plantain chips is the perfect spin on your traditional nachos. Thick enough to withstand a heap of toppings and more flavorful than your average corn chip! Also, don’t sleep on the special sauce. It’s the perfect savory, creamy addition to a zesty plate of nachos. Plus, these nachos are so quick, you’ll be ready to go when the next craving strikes! We love that Barnana Plantain Chips are made from upcycled plantains which help keep food out of the waste stream and gives you delicious, sustainable treats!

Nacho’ Normal Nachos

Serves

Total Time:

One 5 oz bag (any flavor) Barnana Organic Plantain Chips
1 cup cheese (swap for a plant-based option if you are vegan)
1/2 cup organic black beans
1/2 cup organic corn
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup salsa
1 sliced avocado
Sliced jalapeño, optional

Plant Based “Special Sauce”

1/2 cup vegan mayo
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of smoked paprika

1. Spread Barnana Organic Plantain Chips out evenly on a microwave safe plate.
2. Layer on cheese, beans, corn, and salsa.
3. Microwave on high for one to two minutes until cheese is slightly melted and toppings are warm.
4. Top with chopped onions, cilantro, avocado, and jalapeño.
5. Stir vegan mayo, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until well combined.
6. Drizzle with special sauce and enjoy!

These chai spiced chocolate covered dates are the perfect sweet treat! They’re so easy, and you can keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them. If you can’t find a chai spiced chocolate bar, you can always mix a personalized batch of your own chai spices. You can use a scalable recipe to make as much or as little as you’d like and add it to all sorts of baked goods and desserts. We don’t recommend using the spice blend for actual chai tea, as you’d want to use whole spices for that application. Filling dates with almond butter, or the nut butter of your choice, adds a bit of protein and fat to make this a perfect little bite-sized snack.

Chai Spiced Chocolate Covered Dates

Makes 24

Total Time: 20 minutes

Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

24 Medjool dates

½ cup almond butter

12 ounces chai spiced chocolate, chopped

½ teaspoon avocado oil

1. Cut open each date halfway and remove pit.
2. Place one teaspoon of nut butter inside the date to stuff and close.
3. Place chocolate and oil in a small bowl and heat over gently simmering water, stirring frequently until melted.
4. Dip dates in chocolate and coat using a fork. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray. Place dates in the freezer for 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
5. Drizzle remaining chocolate over dates and store in refrigerator until serving.

If you can’t find a chai spiced chocolate bar, you can add a blend of spices to the chocolate in step 3. Start with:

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

A pinch of ground cloves

A pinch of ground nutmeg

A pinch of ground allspice

Colorful, flavorful, and oh so simple, this shredded carrot salad could be your next lunch. Pick up a rotisserie chicken for dinner tonight and use the rest of the pulled chicken to take this salad to the next level! Crunchy shredded veggies like carrots and cabbage give coleslaw vibes, but the sesame tamari dressing keeps things light. With a hearty base, this riot of fiber is perfect for meal prepping. It won’t get soggy in the fridge or over the course of a barbecue or potluck. You may have lots of carrots for the easter bunny or just to celebrate spring. This is the perfect recipe to make use of that bounty.

Shredded Carrot Salad

Serves 4

Total Time: 15 minutes

Gluten-Free

1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded

1 pound red cabbage, finely shredded

2 cups pulled Rotisserie chicken

¾ cup frozen corn, thawed

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

4 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

¼ cup currants or raisins

Dressing:

1/3 cup toasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons tamari

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine carrots, cabbage, chicken, and corn.
2. Whisk together toasted sesame oil, tamari, and cayenne pepper.
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste.
4. Top with parsley, green onions, sliced almonds, and currants or raisins.

Spring is in the air! With this asparagus pappardelle, you can have spring in your bowl too! Whether you like pencil thin asparagus or heartier thicker stalks, asparagus is the quintessential spring vegetable. It’s the harbinger of the season. Combined with other tender green produce, dill and peas, and a light cream sauce you know, you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. The asiago cheese and shallots build a lot of flavor without overpowering the freshness of the veggies. We’ll be making this recipe all spring long as we wait to see what else our local farmers have to offer.

Asparagus Pappardelle

Serves 4

Total Time: 25 minutes

Vegetarian

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup minced shallots

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 pound pappardelle pasta

1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (discard woody parts)

½ cup frozen peas

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups shredded asiago cheese

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

½ ounce fresh dill, stemmed

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add shallots. Cook shallots until translucent then add garlic and cook for a minute. Add cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add shredded cheese and stir until melted. Reduce heat to low.
3. Cook pasta as directed on package. Add asparagus and peas one minute before pasta is done. Strain and add to sauce.
4. Toss pasta to coat and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with dill and serve promptly.

With just a few ingredients, you can make this luxurious, creamy soup. Perfect for days that don’t quite feel like spring, take storage potatoes, spring leeks, and the best vegetable stock you can find, whether its homemade or boxed. Adding a hefty pour of cream brings decadence that will satisfy you even if you’d rather soup season were behind you. An immersion blender makes quick work of creating the smooth texture, but don’t be afraid to leave the soup chunky or use a countertop blender if that’s what you’ve got. Crusty bread makes this soup a meal!

Potato Leek Soup

Serves 6

Total Time: 45 minutes

Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

6 cups russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

6 cups leeks, chopped, white and light green parts only

3 quarts vegetable stock

2 cups cream

4 teaspoons sea salt

1. Place potatoes, leeks, and stock in a large stockpot and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth.
3. Turn off heat and add cream and salt.
4. Serve with crusty bread.

This brownie recipe is pulling double duty. Equally at home at a St Patrick’s Day celebration as it is a girl’s night in, these brownies deserve a spot in your dessert rotation. Use your favorite chocolate stout in the batter and the glaze. The deep malty beer will enhance the chocolate of the brownies without overpowering them.. A can of black beans helps fill out the batter with extra protein and fiber. Who says you can’t have your cake brownie and eat it too?

Double Chocolate Stout Brownies

Makes 9 brownies

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Vegetarian

15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2/3 cup chocolate stout beer

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cane sugar

¾ cup cocoa powder

¾ cup brown sugar, packed

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon chocolate stout beer

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Using a blender or food processor, blend beans and stout until smooth. In a mixing bowl, combine bean mixture, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until mixed.
3. In another mixing bowl whisk together flour, cane sugar, cocoa powder, and brown sugar.
4. Add dry into wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter in prepared baking pan and bake for 48 minutes. Cool completely before glazing.
6. For glaze, stir together confectioner’s sugar, milk, and stout. Drizzle over cooled brownies and serve.