The Garden Grazer

April 17, 2018

Thai Peanut Sauce

I cannot contain my excitement for this sauce! It's got garlic. It's got ginger. It's got yummy tangy sweetness. All swirled into a luscious, creamy peanut butter base. And it's EASY. Only 6 ingredients and less than 10 minutes! What I love (besides how quick and easy it is) is the all-around flexibility. There are countless ways to make it & use it. For dipping spring rolls which is one of my favorites, with vegetable stir-fries, on tempeh/tofu dishes (it's a great baked tofu dip), with Thai noodles, quinoa salads, or you can thin it out with more water to make a super flavorful salad dressing. There's also a chance you may find yourself just eating it with a spoon from time to time... 😉

I originally made my first peanut sauce in reference to this Thai Peanut Sauce recipe by The Spruce and I encourage you to play around with different flavors/amounts that suit your palette as well. It's a fun and delicious recipe to tinker around with. I'd love to hear what combos you find! We all need those go-to sauces for easy & awesome flavor bursts and I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram 🍓 and share your pics if you try this! I love seeing what you guys cook up.

Vegan, gluten-free (with tamari), oil-free
Makes about 1 1/3 cup
Inspired by The Spruce

Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use creamy, natural)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar or maple syrup (more/less to taste)
1 1/2 Tbsp. tamari/soy sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger, more to taste
Hot water (to thin to desired consistency)
Optional: red pepper flakes

Directions
Mince garlic and grate ginger. (I use a microplane grater.)
In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except water.
Heat about 3/4 cup of water to just under boiling. (I love our tea kettle with thermometer.)
Add water a couple tablespoons at a time, slowly whisking and working the mixture together.
Continue adding water and whisking until sauce reaches your desired consistency. (I usually end up adding roughly 1/2 cup hot water.)
Salt to taste if desired or adjust flavors as needed; more sweetener, garlic, ginger, or fresh lemon/lime juice.
Play around with the measurements to find the taste you love!

Tips:
For easier whisking, you can microwave/warm peanut butter for a few seconds before adding to bowl.
To create a salad dressing, simply add a bit more water to thin it out to desired consistency.

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April 5, 2018

Easy Peanut Butter Granola (30 Minute!)

My idea for this recipe was pretty much to make the easiest granola ever... and I LOVE how it turned out! Only 5 ingredients, no oil, no refined sugar, and only about 7 minutes of prep. (Seriously, so easy!!) It's naturally sweetened with maple syrup and hints of cinnamon & vanilla. Most granola recipes call for quite a bit of oil, but I found the natural oils in the peanut butter worked great. Feel free to adjust the sweetness however you like - I use 1/4 cup maple syrup for both the sweetness factor PLUS it helps create delicious chunky granola clusters. Yum! I find it a bit addicting, so not only is it a great choice for breakfast, but snacks throughout the day or even dessert! I realized I need to post way more breakfast recipes on the blog this year, so more rise & shine plant-based goodness is coming soon! Hope you enjoy this easy granola as much as we do.

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram 🍓 and share a pic if you give it a try! I love seeing what you guys cook up.

Vegan, gluten-free (with gf oats), oil-free

Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned oats (I like this brand)
1/3 cup peanut butter (I use natural, smooth)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Salt to taste if desired
Optional add-ins after baking: dairy-free chocolate chips, dried fruit, coconut, etc.

Directions
Preheat oven to 325.
In a medium saucepan over med-low heat, add peanut butter and maple syrup.
Heat for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When melted, remove from heat. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Stir.
Add oats and stir well to thoroughly combine. Add a pinch of salt if desired.
Place parchment paper (or Silpat) on a baking sheet. Add oat mixture and slightly spread out. (It doesn't have to be totally spread out - keeping some together will create clusters!)
Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove and let cool.

Notes:
Granola will be soft when it comes out of the oven, but it gradually hardens as it cools.
After it completely cools (about 25-30 minutes), I store it in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. Ours usually disappears within a week, but granola can typically keep for a month or even longer!
Adjust the sweetness as desired (more/less maple syrup). I find about 1/4 cup is the sweetness I like, plus it helps create the crunchy clusters!

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More breakfast options!

Tofu Scramble with Spinach & Tomato

Vanilla Almond Overnight Oats

Creamy Banana Matcha Smoothie

March 31, 2018

Classic Potato Salad (Vegan!)

We're absolutely CRAZY about this potato salad! It's super easy to make and only takes 20 minutes and 8 ingredients. Plus it's a great meal to make ahead of time if you're planning to bring it along to a picnic or party - the flavors only get better as it sits! I typically like to keep processed foods as minimal as possible (i.e. store-bought vegan mayo) but for this traditional-style potato salad I just had to have the "real" stuff. Trust me, it's GOOD! I've always been a huge potato fan of any and all kinds and this is definitely my latest obsession. I find it hard to walk away from the bowl and continually venture back to the fridge if it's just sitting in there... I even ate it for breakfast one day! (Do I admit that?) 🙈

That said, I'm also currently testing a lightened up (mayo-free/oil-free) fresh herb potato salad for those who like other options so stay tuned! Red fingerling potatoes are my favorite to use with this recipe - the size is perfect. Plus they have a firm texture that hold up really well during cooking, and the skin is delicate (and pretty!) so no need for peeling. No worries if you can't find them in your area though... regular red potatoes or Yukon golds work just fine! Hope you enjoy as much as we do. Pro tip: it tastes even better when eaten outdoors in the sunshine 😉

PS - I'd love to see if you make this! Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram 🍓 and share your pic!

Vegan, gluten-free

Makes about 6-8 side servings
Inspired by a potato salad from the Marquette, MI Food Co-op

Ingredients
2 lbs. red or yukon potatoes (I use organic red fingerling)
1/4 cup red onion (or 2-3 green onions)
1 carrot
2 stalks celery
3/4 cup vegan mayo (I like Vegenaise by Follow Your Heart)
3 Tbsp. stoneground mustard
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 tsp. salt (plus more salt/pepper to taste if desired)
Other additions: fresh herbs (parsley & dill are wonderful), chives, chopped pickles or pickle relish, capers, lemon juice, smoked paprika, bell pepper, etc.

Directions
Rinse potatoes and cut into about 3/4-inch to 1-inch chunks.
Place potatoes in a medium-large saucepan and fill with water to 1 inch above potato line. Add 2 tsp. salt to water.
Place over high heat on the stove, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to med-low and simmer for about 5-6 minutes or until fork-tender (but not too mushy!)
While potatoes are cooking, prep veggies: dice red onion, slice celery, and shred/grate carrot. (I use a box grater.)
Make dressing: in a small bowl, combine mayo, both mustards, and maple syrup. (Feel free to mix in some fresh herbs if you'd like!) Stir well to combine.
In a large mixing bowl, add drained potatoes, veggies, and pour dressing over top. Toss well to coat.
Salt/pepper to taste if needed. Garnish with fresh herbs, chives, smoked paprika, etc. if desired.

Notes:
Great served chilled or at room temp.
Can serve immediately, but the flavors will beautifully intensify after it sits and "marinates" for a little while! (It's a great option to make a day ahead.)
Initially it may look like too much dressing, but I find the potatoes soak it up quite a bit as it sits. Feel free to reduce it to your liking however!

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