With protein-rich chickpeas, tender sweet potatoes, and spinach in a savory peanut and tomato sauce, this West African inspired stew makes an amazing dinner (and the leftovers are excellent for lunch!) I love it served over brown rice, with lots of peanuts and cilantro sprinkled over the top.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Peanut, Sweet Potato, & Chickpea Stew
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make This Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew
• Tips for Success
• More Chickpea Stew Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I already have a stovetop West-African-inspired peanut stew recipe on Kitchen Treaty, but I wanted to create a super hands-off version, plus, I thought I’d amp up the protein with some chickpeas.

I reduced the liquids (you don’t need nearly as much liquid when cooking in a slow cooker) and made a few tweaks to the inspiration recipe, and this Slow Cooker Peanut, Chickpea, and Sweet Potato Stew was born!

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Peanut, Sweet Potato, & Chickpea Stew

What’s not to love when it comes to slow cooker dinners?! This is a throw it in and forget it until dinnertime kind of meal, one that allows all the flavors to mingle together into a flavorful stew.

All you have to do after it cooks all day is stir in some spinach, cook up some rice, chop up some peanuts and cilantro, and serve!

Ingredients

• Onion, garlic, and fresh ginger – for a backbone of flavor.
• Sweet potatoes – peeled and diced, any color will do.
• Chickpeas – You’ll want two cans, or about 3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas.
• Crushed tomatoes – One can.
• Veggie broth – I like to use low-sodium vegetable broth to better control the overall salt levels in my recipes. Buy it from the store or try my slow-cooker veggie broth recipe.
• Peanut butter – I like to use creamy peanut butter for a nice smooth sauce.
• Cumin, coriander, & red cayenne pepper – For flavor and, in the case of the cayenne, a smidge of heat.
• Spinach – I use baby spinach because it’s easy to buy it packaged and pre-washed, so I don’t need to worry about rinsing and chopping spinach leaves.
• Salt & pepper – To taste.

Adaptations/Variations

• Swap the spinach for kale. Use baby kale or another type of kale leaves, stems removed and chopped.
• Add more veggies. Red bell pepper and/or carrots are great additions.
• If you don’t have vegetable broth, water will work. I like the added flavor that veggie broth provides but it’s not a must!

How to Make This Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew

Add all of the ingredients except the spinach, the rice, and the toppings to the slow cooker …

… and cook for a few hours.

Stir in the spinach …

Then cook up some rice, spoon your chickpea stew over the rice, top with chopped peanuts and cilantro, and enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Use a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Any smaller and the ingredients might not fit.
• Go generous with the peanuts on top. The added crunch is so good!

I hope you love this Slow Cooker Peanut, Sweet Potato, & Chickpea Stew as much as we do! It’s such an easy way to get a hearty, unique, protein-packed, and cozy dish on the table, especially on busy weeknights.

More Chickpea Stew Recipes

• Chickpea & Tomato Curry
• Chana Masala with Spaghetti Squash
• Moroccan Chickpea & Sweet Potato Stew
• Slow Cooker Red Lentil & Chickpea Curry with Potatoes & Peas
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Red Lentil & Chickpea Curry
• 20-Minute Vegetarian White Bean Chili

Print

Slow Cooker Peanut, Sweet Potato, & Chickpea Stew Recipe

This hearty chickpea stew is a vegan riff on West African peanut stew and cooks up effortlessly in the Crock Pot. A savory peanut-tomato sauce coats tender chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and spinach. Serve over rice and top generously with chopped salted peanuts and cilantro!

Keyword harissa chickpea stew, peanut stew, slow cooker chickpea stew, slow cooker west african stew, west african stew

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 281kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• 1 3-quart or larger slow cooker

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion diced) (about 2 cups
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger chopped
• 1 large sweet potato peeled and diced) (about 2 cups
• 2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed; 15-ounce cans; 3 1/2 cups
• 15 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper plus or minus to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 4 cups packed fresh baby spinach

For serving:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Garnish:

• Fresh cilantro
• Chopped salted peanuts

Instructions

• To a 3-quart or larger slow cooker, add all ingredients except the spinach. The peanut butter might not incorporate all the way at first, but once it warms it will melt and mix with the other ingredients.
• Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Serve over rice with fresh cilantro and a generous topper of chopped salted peanuts.

Notes

Meat option

Classic West African Peanut Stew often contains chicken. If you like, you could stir some cooked/shredded chicken into the meat-eaters’ bowls. 

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 419mg | Potassium: 676mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7416IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Slow Cooker Peanut, Sweet Potato, & Chickpea Stew Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Peanut butter and jelly are best pals, and for good reason. Hello, salty peanut butter. Oh hi, sweet jam. Yep, perfect.

I’ve brought these flavors together before in smoothie form, but for this year’s new cookie recipe, I thought it might be fun to create a vegan thumbprint cookie, and PB & J seemed like a natural twist.

The post Vegan Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind this Peanut Sauce Recipe
• Why You’ll Love It
• Homemade Peanut Sauce Ingredients
• How to Make Peanut Sauce with Coconut Milk
• Can I Freeze Peanut Sauce?
• Ideas for Serving

• Jump to the full, printable recipe
• Read reviews and comments

The Story Behind this Peanut Sauce Recipe

I developed this recipe in 2020, when pantry meals were king! During that time, we found that sauce recipes like this really helped us keep our menus flexible. So when the grocery store is out of one thing, we could still make a delicious dinner happen.

Why You’ll Love It

Peanut sauce with coconut milk goes with so much – it’s excellent with tofu satay skewers, chicken skewers for my guy, broccoli, rice, soba noodles … plus it’s the most delicious dip. Summer rolls, veggies, artichokes … sky’s the limit with this peanut sauce. It’s also fully vegan and gluten-free!

Homemade Peanut Sauce Ingredients

Our very favorite peanut sauce recipe calls for the following ingredients:

• Peanut butter, of course! Creamy – and I like the less-natural, more processed stuff for the smoothest sauce. Talking Jif and friends here.
• Coconut milk. Full-fat, please! It gives this sauce its thick, just, unctuousness. Spell check agrees that “unctuousness” is a word, so I’m going with it.
• Garlic. Because of course!
• Soy sauce or Tamari. Umami baby!
• Curry powder. Yep. Traditional this is not. Tasty it is.
• Brown sugar. That touch of sweet really helps round out all of the flavors.

A couple of notable things this vegan peanut sauce is missing in its ingredient list? No ginger, for one. And no acid like rice wine vinegar or lime juice. I honestly thought it would be better with both, but ginger didn’t add enough to make the cut, and when I tried this with the acid and without, I liked it just as well either way. So why not just cut it and keep it simple?! Sooooo I did.

How to Make Peanut Sauce with Coconut Milk

To make it, simply warm the peanut butter, coconut milk, the garlic, and some water over low heat until melty and combined. Then stir in the remaining ingredients, juuuuust let it simmer, and done. Seriously so easy.

Then, just drizzle away on anything and everything.

Yessss, my friends. This peanut sauce is everything.

Can I Freeze Peanut Sauce?

Yes! Peanut sauce freezes really well. The one variable is the coconut milk. Sometimes it can separate or be a bit grainy upon thawing. So the consistency might not be exactly what it was before, but it still tastes great! To freeze your peanut sauce, transfer to an airtight container or a freezer bag and place in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes then warm in a saucepan over the stove if you like.

Ideas for Serving

I love to keep a big batch of this homemade peanut sauce in the fridge for super quick and easy dinners. Lately, I’ve been roasting tofu for me and warming pre-cooked chicken satay skewers from Costco for my guy. Throw in a scoop of rice and some steamed broccoli and it makes for the easiest dinner. And it is SO GOOD. (Did I mention that already?)

Print

Peanut Sauce with Coconut Milk Recipe

Just 6 ingredients make up this versatile, savory peanut sauce. Drizzle it over tofu, chicken, and broccoli or dip your favorite veggies in. So addicting!

Course sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 321kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari*
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• A pinch or two of kosher salt to taste – optional

Instructions

• Set a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, garlic, and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peanut butter has melted and the ingredients meld when stirred with a whisk. Be sure to keep just below a simmer – don’t let the sauce boil.
• Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and curry powder. Stir to combine. Let simmer – just barely! – and then remove from heat.
• Taste and add a pinch or two of salt if you wish. Serve as desired.

Notes

Gluten Free Option

Use Tamari instead of soy sauce.

* If you use Tamari, you’ll probably want to add a bit of salt at the end.

Adapted from the peanut sauce in this recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 409mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Creamy Peanut Sauce with Coconut Milk Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Peanut butter, spinach, and sweet potato, you say? YES. It’s the MOST glorious combo – trust me.

For us, This Vegetarian African Peanut Stew has been a definite dinner-on-repeat over the course of the winter. It has a relatively simple list of ingredients, so it’s an easy throw-together meal for weeknights.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato & Peanut Stew Ingredients

What do we have? Well, these ingredients, for one:

• Olive oil – For sautéing the onion and garlic.
• Onion – A standard yellow onion works well here, but if you only have a white onion or sweet onion, those will work fine too.
• Garlic – Three cloves, minced. But if you prefer to measure garlic with your heart and add way more, go for it!
• Ginger – You’ll want one tablespoon of minced fresh ginger, which is roughly a thumb-sized piece. Peel the skin off easily with a spoon before mincing – one of my favorite tricks!
• Vegetable broth – Grab a box veggie broth from the store, or make your own slow cooker vegetable broth or veggie broth from scraps.
• Crushed tomatoes – One 15-ounce can.
• Peanut butter – Creamy peanut butter works best for this recipe as it melts right into the stew. If all you have is crunchy, though, go for it!
• Sweet potatoes – Any kind of sweet potato or yam will work for this sweet potato stew.
• Cumin & ground coriander – For earthy, smoky flavor.
• Cayenne pepper – for a touch of heat.
• Spinach – I like to use baby spinach because it just requires a quick rinse and is already pretty small. Give it a few chops if you don’t like larger pieces of spinach.
• Rice – for serving. I like brown rice with African Peanut Stew because the hearty texture and nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the stew.
• Cilantro & salted peanuts for garnish – A must, in my book!

What to Serve with It

Rice is a must! I prefer brown rice as its earthy flavors and texture hold up well to the hearty Sweet Potato Peanut Stew.

A green salad served alongside is always welcome, and I think kale salad is the perfect companion. How about this Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad or colorful Rainbow Kale Salad?

Print

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Peanut Stew

Sweet potatoes, peanut butter, spinach, cumin … the comforting west-African-inspired combo results in the heartiest, most flavorful vegan stew around.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 470kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced) (about 2 cups
• 3 medium cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced) (about 2 cups
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper plus or minus to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups packed fresh baby spinach

For serving:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Garnish:

• Fresh cilantro
• Chopped salted peanuts

Instructions

• Cook the rice according to package instructions.
• While the rice cooks, make the stew. Set a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
• Add the broth, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, ginger, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the stew comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the sweet potatoes are tender, 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in the peanut butter and the spinach. Stew is done when the peanut butter has distributed and the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
• Serve with a scoop of brown rice and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.

Notes

Meat option

Classic West African Peanut Stew often contains chicken, so you could totally stir some cooked/shredded chicken into the carnivores’ portions.

Nutrition

Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 530mg | Potassium: 902mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 18857IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg

More Sweet Potato Recipes

• Want a slow cooker version of this stew with chickpeas added for more protein? I love this version! Head on over to the Crock Pot Sweet Potato Peanut Stew recipe!
• Grilled Sweet Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
• Whipped Sweet Potatoes
• Moroccan Sweet Potato & Chickpea Stew
• Three Bean Sweet Potato Salad
• Baked Sweet Potato Fries
• Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

The post Vegetarian Sweet Potato Peanut Stew appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

And then I realized it wasn’t exactly a blog-worthy recipe … if you could even call that a recipe. Roast your spaghetti squash, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, the end.

I needed to up my game.

But, you know … I didn’t want to up it too much. Because there’s a time and a place (often/most everywhere) for simple. And this recipe for Thai Peanut Spaghetti Squash Boats definitely qualifies.

So here’s what we’ve got. Oven-roasted spaghetti squash (you can use your microwave to save time if you like), tossed with the simplest Thai-inspired peanut sauce. Then we scoop it back into the spaghetti squash shells because spaghetti squash boats = fun.

Top those bad boys with peanuts, cilantro, and – if you like – some protein of choice.

Done!

This unbelievably easy spaghetti squash dish is so rich and creamy, with garlic-and-ginger-tinged peanut sauce + crunchy peanuts + a bit of fresh flavor from the cilantro. It makes a great side, but also serves as a perfectly satiating main course.

We also love this one as a one-dish-two-ways situation – it’s super versatile. It’s vegan as-is, or you can add some of your favorite cooked-and-cubed tofu for a bit of added heft (and it’s still vegan!).

For the meat-eaters in the house, either top with or stir in some cooked and chopped chicken.

Shop this pic: Black stoneware serving tray

Simple, satiating spaghetti squash – several styles. (I’ll have you know I worked really hard on making that alliteration happen.)

(more…)

The post Simple Thai Peanut Spaghetti Squash Boats (3 Ways!) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Now, to be fair, I may have  seen this delicious-looking recipe over at Iowa Girl Eats and then subconsciously “come up with the idea myself” later on. Because I’m sure that happens with food bloggers all the time, so I’m linking her recipe here just in case. But … I think I thought of this myself? (Cooking Light has a great-looking take on something similar too.)

So here’s what’s happening in this version.

First, you stir together your peanut sauce and prepare your garnishes. Please do both things before you start cooking the sweet potato noodles! Because they cook fast and you’ll be stressed. We don’t need stress. We need mise en place.

First, spiralize your sweet potatoes.

Then, you saute your spiralized sweet potatoes – about 5 minutes.

Add the spinach, stir in the sauce, scoop onto plates, top with garnishes, devour.

Oh, but another super cool thing about this recipe is that it’s perfect for vegetarians/vegans and meat-eaters living together! You have a couple options here. Grilled and sliced or diced chicken atop one serving. Plain for the other. Or if the resident vegan/vegetarian would like some additional protein, how about a bit of baked tofu? (I’ve been loving this stuff lately – delicious and super convenient).

Here’s some with tofu, right before it became my lunch. My carnivorous guy wolfed his chicken-enhanced version down before I could photograph it.

Oh, and taste-wise?! UM, DELICIOUS. Sweet potatoes + peanuts just work together gloriously. The peanut sauce – the same I use in my veggie-loaded peanut butter noodles – is creamy and dreamy and tasty and, just sort of everything.

The crunchy peanuts on top seal the deal, though I prefer a generous hand with the cilantro, too.

So there you have it.

Oh, and let me just reiterate – this recipe is SO EASY to make! Once you’ve got the spiralizing out of the way and the sauce and garnishes made, it’s just 10 minutes (if that) over the stove and dinner’s served.

Print

20-Minute Peanut Sweet Potato Noodles with Spinach

Spiralized sweet potatoes tossed with spinach, drenched in peanut sauce, and topped with crunchy peanuts. Increase the protein factor by topping with baked tofu or – if any carnivores are at your table – some grilled chicken.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 614kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce:

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce choose tamari if gluten-free
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger root
• 1 medium garlic clove grated [I use a microplane zester]
• 1/2 cup warm water

For the noodles:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled and spiralized with 1/8-inch julienne blade
• 4 cups about 3 ounces baby spinach

Toppings:

• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• Small bunch fresh cilantro
• 2-3 scallions finely sliced

Protein add-ons (optional):

• Baked tofu chopped
• Cooked chopped chicken

Equipment:

• Spiralizer I have the Paderno spiralizer

Instructions

• Make the sauce. Add all peanut sauce ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• Spiralize your sweet potato using the 1/8″ julienne/spaghetti blade on your spiralizer.
• Set a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sweet potato noodles. Cook until beginning to get tender, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If the noodles to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon or two of water to help keep the sweet potatoes moving. If they begin to burn, reduce heat. Watch them closely because they can burn quickly – trust me, I know first hand!
• Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until spinach is wilted, another minute or two.
• Add the peanut sauce and cook, stirring and tossing, until the peanut sauce is bubbling and thickened slightly and the veggies are coated, about 1 minute more.
• Transfer to plates and add toppings. Add additional protein if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 614kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Sodium: 1260mg | Potassium: 1115mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 21777IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 4mg

The post 20-Minute Peanut Sweet Potato Noodles with Spinach appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

With school starting soon for our kiddo, school lunches have been on my mind. My little one is a, shall we say, a “selective” eater. (I use the term “selective” over “picky” so that when she reads these blog posts in 5 years, she won’t get quite so mad at me. Love you kiddo!)

Because of said selectiveness, I’m working a little harder on trying to come up with a variety of foodstuffs that she’ll actually eat when she opens her lunchbox at school.

To that end, we’ve spent a bit of time together browsing blogs and books for kid-friendly recipes to try, including the ever-inspiring weelicious. These breakfast cupcakes cued a jaw-drop for our daughter, but because of the cream cheese frosting, she ultimately gave them a thumbs down. (Note that this in no way a reflection of the recipe – most new foods are a bust with our kid, and everyone else gobbled them up!)

I really liked the base muffin recipe though, and wasn’t ready to let it go. It uses very little sugar, has a bit of protein from the nut butter, and is totally tasty with a little smear of jam.

And, I soon discovered, when you cut these cute mini muffins in half and put the jam inside, you’ve got the little mini muffin sandwiches! Even cuter!

Not only are they cute, but with the jam inside, they’re perfect for travel. Say, for school lunches!

Oh, and does our daughter like this version? Well, no, to be honest. No she does not. Because (silent sigh) … she doesn’t like jam. A smear of Nutella gets the thumbs up, though!

Baby steps, right?

(more…)

The post PB&J Mini Muffin Sandwiches appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Basically these vegetarian and vegan avocado summer rolls are like a dippable salad, and especially delicious with peanut dipping sauce!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• What’s the Difference Between Spring Rolls & Summer Rolls?
• Ingredients for Vegetarian Summer Rolls
• How to Wrap a Summer Roll
• How to Store Vegetarian Summer Rolls
• Can I Freeze Summer Rolls?
• More Veggie-Forward Summer Recipes

• 👩‍🍳 Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• 📣 Read Reviews & Comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

My favorite color is green. Always has been. Sometimes I’ll prefer a certain shade – my lime phase, for instance, went on for years. Now I guess I’m in more of a mossy zone, but really, just about any green’ll do.

So naturally, I especially love these Vegetarian Summer Rolls. I mean, hello green! But I don’t just love them because they’re green.

Full disclosure: “Green” might also be a word to describe me and my skill level in actually assembling said summer rolls. These vegan summer rolls are pretty easy once you get the hang of it, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a few sloppy numbers before I got into the swing of things. But no worries, once I figured it out, I photographed all the steps so you don’t have to go through what I did!

What’s the Difference Between Spring Rolls & Summer Rolls?

Spring rolls are often fried, whereas summer rolls are served fresh and uncooked. They are also known as fresh spring rolls or salad rolls.

Spring and summer rolls are found throughout Asia, but fresh summer rolls are especially popular in Vietnam. (source/more info)

They often contain meat or seafood (obviously, this vegetarian summer rolls recipe does not!

Ingredients for Vegetarian Summer Rolls

For the summer rolls:

• Cabbage – I like to use red cabbage for the gorgeous color, but green will work too.
• Carrots – I use your standard orange carrot, but rainbow carrots would be so pretty here!
• Rice vinegar, lime juice, salt, and honey or agave – For pickling the cabbage and carrots. Just swap agave for the honey if you’re making vegan summer rolls.
• Rice paper spring roll wrappers – Softened so they’re nice and rollable.
• Avocado – Halved, pitted, and sliced
• Lettuce – I use green leaf lettuce, but you can use whichever lettuce you prefer.
• Mint & Thai basil – These fresh herbs add SO much flavor.

For the peanut dipping sauce:

• Peanut butter – I like to use creamy PB, but crunchy will work!
• Tamari or soy sauce – If you need to stay gluten-free, go for the Tamari.
• Lime juice – From one fresh lime.
• Rice vinegar
• Honey or agave syrup
• Sriracha sauce – Just a little for a bit of a kick!

How to Wrap a Summer Roll

Basically, you lay your wrapper out, and you place the mint and avocado just left of center. Then you add your lettuce, veggies, and basil just right of center. Placing the smaller veggies in a lettuce “cup” helps to keep the roll neater.

Then, bring the right side toward the center …

… fold the top and bottom toward the middle …

Then finish by bringing the left side toward the center.

You’re in business!

Don’t worry – no matter how sloppy your Avocado Summer Rolls are, they still taste divine. Trust me, I know this first-hand!

Creamy avocado. Fresh mint and basil. Carrots and red cabbage lightly pickled in sweet-and-salty rice vinegar. Crisp lettuce. Yesss.

Oh, and even though it’s definitely not green, the spicy peanut sauce is a must.

How to Store Vegetarian Summer Rolls

These summer rolls are best eaten pretty soon after making them, so I don’t recommend storing them. You can prep most of the ingredients beforehand though!

Can I Freeze Summer Rolls?

No, I don’t recommend it. You’ll end up with a soggy and sad mess.

More Veggie-Forward Summer Recipes

• Zoodles & Noodles with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
• Summer Corn & Edamame Succotash Salad
• Zucchini Fettuccine Alfredo
• Veggie-Loaded Peanut Noodle Salad

Print

Vegetarian Summer Rolls

Veggie-packed rolls with avocado, red cabbage, carrots, basil, and mint – all served up with a super easy peanut dipping sauce. Perfect light summer dinner!

Keyword vegetarian summer rolls

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8 rolls

Calories 163kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

Avocado Summer Rolls

• 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1/2 cup carrots cut into matchsticks (about 1 large carrot)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice from about 1/2 of a lime
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon honey can substitute granulated sugar or agave syrup
• 8 rice paper spring roll wrappers
• 1 medium avocado halved, pitted, and sliced
• 3-4 green leaf lettuce leaves rinsed, dried, and torn in half
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons Tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice from about 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup
• 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce or more to taste

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, stir together the rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, salt, and honey (or other sweetener). Add cabbage and carrots. Toss. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. To a medium bowl, add the peanut butter, Tamari, 2 tablespoons lime juice, rice vinegar, honey (or other sweetener), and Sriracha. Stir with a whisk 1-2 minutes until creamy. Taste and add additional Sriracha if desired. Set aside.
• Slice your avocado and prep the mint, basil, and lettuce if you haven’t already.
• Add about 1/2 inch of warm water to an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish or a pie pan. Place one rice paper wrapper in the water and submerge. Let sit for about 1 minute, until soft.
• Carefully transfer the rice paper wrapper to your clean kitchen counter or cutting board. At this point, I like to put another rice paper wrapper in the water to soak while I’m assembling so it’s ready to go when I’m done with the previous one. To assemble, place a couple of mint leaves in a short vertical line just left of center, then top with a couple of slices of avocado. Then, place 1/8 cup or so of the cabbage and carrots inside a lettuce leaf then place the veggies just right of center. Top with two or three of basil leaves.
• To roll, bring the right side of the wrapper toward the center, then fold the top and bottom in toward the middle. Finish by bringing the left side toward the center, pulling as tightly as you can without ripping. The rice paper should stick to itself and voila! A summer roll! Repeat until all 8 rolls are assembled.
• Cut rolls in half, if desired, and serve with the dipping sauce.

Notes

Nutrition information includes the peanut dipping sauce.

Gluten-free option

Use gluten-free Tamari instead of soy sauce.

Vegan option

Use vegan granulated sugar, agave syrup, or pure maple syrup in place of the honey.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 558mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1941IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Vegetarian Summer Rolls with Avocado & Herbs appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Ah, the great outdoors. Nothing gets you out there and, just, in it more than camping. Our family loves it.

Often, people who love camping start out in tents when they’re younger, then upgrade and eventually find themselves in a big ol’ RV. But it’s actually been the reverse for us. When our daughter was born, we owned a travel trailer – but we were too chicken to take an infant camping. So we sold the trailer.

But after a couple of years, we missed camping! We lack the space for parking an RV at our current house,  so last summer, we picked up a tent on a whim and headed to a nearby state park. I was a little worried about going back to basics, but armed with a couple of airbeds and and a sense of adventure, we had a ton of fun – our adventurous daughter most of all.

The day we got home, I planned our next trip – and so it went. So I guess now we are officially tent campers!

Once the issue of shelter was out of the way, I started thinking about vegan camping food. As fans of camping know, part of the fun of camping is the food! But for vegans, finding vegan camping food ideas that are easy to cook in camp can be a challenge.

Campfires aren’t always allowed in campgrounds around here, so we often rely on our camp stove and portable grill to cook meals. But it’s way more fun to cook over the fire, so we’re trying to do that a little more.

I’m not a vegan – I don’t eat meat or dairy, but I still eat eggs and honey – but when we went camping a couple of weeks ago, I challenged myself to go full-on vegan with my food. Leaving honey out was easy, but I had been relying on eggs for breakfast – so I had to come up with a few new ideas.

But first …

General Rules for Stress-Free Camping Meals

• Plan your menu beforehand (write it down!)
• Keep meals as simple as possible
• Use only one pan whenever you can (less dishes = a good thing)
• Consider paper plates (again with the less dishes thing!)
• Prep veggies/fruits/etc. before you go

Now for the grub!

Vegan Camping Breakfast Ideas

The post Vegan Camping Food Ideas + A Recipe for PB&J Overnight Oats appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I can’t stop eating them.

They are just … yum. Perfect right out of the fridge. Sort of chewy, but not crazy chewy. A little sweet, a little salty.

But they’re chock full of good, good stuff. Oats, pumpkin seeds, even some chia seeds thrown into the mix. I could be wolfing down a lot worse, right?!

I am pretty much obsessed as evidenced not only by how much I love to eat these things (my guy has a hard time keeping his hands off of them, too), but I am also obsessed with:

1. How easy they are to make. Five minutes to whip up!
2. How handy they are to have around. Homemade grab-and-go food – the best kind of grab-and-go food!
3. How delicious they are. Oh wait; I’ve covered that, haven’t I?

I first came across the recipe for these granola bars in my brand-spankin’ new Food 52 Vegan cookbook by Gena Hamshaw. This version of the recipe, No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars with Dried Cranberries & Pepitas, is a slight spin on the original. I’ve swapped the raisins for cranberries, added chia seeds, and chosen salted pepitas. Yum.

These no-bake granola bars are a tasty, tasty problem indeed.

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating! And, if you find it share-worthy – which I hope you do – please share. Tag #kitchentreaty on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, and don’t forget to check out my other recipes!

Print

No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars with Dried Cranberries & Pepitas

These refrigerator granola bars take mere minutes to assemble. Our favorite homemade grab-and-go snack!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup toasted salted pepitas unsalted/untoasted work too
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds optional
• 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter I use the natural stuff
• 1/2 - 2/3 cup brown rice syrup can sub agave nectar

Instructions

• Line an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. I like to use a long piece with the sides sticking out so I can use them as "handles" to lift out the bars later on.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pepitas, cranberries, and chia seeds.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter and 1/2 cup brown rice syrup.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix well with a wooden spoon. If the ingredients aren't quite sticking together, add a little more brown rice syrup, stirring after each addition, until they do.
• Pour into the baking dish and press flat with your hands. The more firmly you can press, the less likely they are to be crumbly!
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm. Lift from baking dish and cut with a sharp chef's knife. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Notes

Gluten-free note:

This recipe is already gluten-free; just be sure to use certified gluten-free oats to be safe.

Adapted from Food52

The post No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars with Dried Cranberries & Pepitas appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.