New Blog Name and Address – see you there!

  Hello Blog Friends, I’d like to let you know that I’ve changed the name of my blog to Raspberries and Basil and my new blog address is https://raspberriesandbasil.wordpress.com/ Please click on my new address and “Follow” me! As a newbie blogger, I encountered a little hiccup along the way. After some guidance from some…

Father’s Day Crafts and Sweets

Since softball season is in full swing (pun intended!), we will be celebrating Father's Day with my father and husband a few days early this year. So, I asked my children this morning to make a craft and choose a homemade treat for their Dad and Nonno (Spoiler alert you two!). Adrienne found these adorable…

Classic Granola

As a child of the 70s, I grew up with my mom's granola, sandwiches on her homemade wheat bread and trail mix...oh, and I can't forget "Little House on the Prairie" episodes, Evel Knievel stunt shows, and roller skates too. My mom still makes this classic granola. I've started making it too (with just a…

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

The first time I made ice cream from frozen bananas, the kids could not believe what they were tasting. It was rich and creamy yet it was only made out of bananas. I told them we could have this for breakfast! What? Minds. Blown. And yes, we've had banana ice cream for breakfast. There are…

Slow-Cooker White-Bean Chili (vegan)

Weeknights can be so busy. Between softball practice carpool, piano lessons, work and general home duties, using the slow-cooker is sometimes my best bet for getting a healthy meal on our table. Tonight is White-Bean Chili night! Here is the link to the White-Bean Chili recipe and the cookbook, The PlantPure Nation Cookbook, by Kim…

Blueberry Puff Pastries

I always have frozen berries for smoothies and a few packages of Puff Pastry on hand in my freezer because you just never know when you might need pastries! Here is a simple recipe for fruit pastries using blueberries, but almost any other frozen fruit filling should work great. Fruit filling variations (Substitute the following…

Carrot Cake Cupcakes (vegan)

These are SO good! As I was pulling these out of the oven this afternoon, my son walked in from school and said "I'm smelling goodness!" We enjoy them un-frosted for breakfast, lunch, and after-exercise snacks or topped with a rich cream-cheese frosting for dessert. My husband's favorite cake is carrot cake, and he loves…

Easy BBQ Jackfruit sliders and slaw

We recently made BBQ Jackfruit sliders with Apple Coleslaw for a dinner party and again for a softball family potluck. While our friends may have been a little timid to try it at first, many asked for the recipe. Here it is! What is jackfruit you ask? It is an amazing vegan meat-like substitute made…

Dreamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce (vegan)

When I first started cooking plant-based meals, I wanted to find an alfredo that my family would love. So, I found my way to this Cauli-power Fettuccine Alfredo recipe from Oh She Glows. I was amazed when the cauliflower magically blended into this silky sauce with all of the creaminess I craved, without the saturated…

Quick Basil Pesto

This is one of our staples for busy weeknight dinners. This batch makes about 3 cups of pesto, so I freeze the leftovers. Then, on Pesto Night, I simply thaw some of the sauce and toss it with hot cooked pasta. We often serve the dish with sauteed vegetables and bites of baked tofu. Add…