Vegetarian Archives

How To Make Pumpkin Puree

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON October 3, 2019 // Leave a Comment

Everyone should know how to make pumpkin puree in the fall. Pumpkin puree can be use in so many different ways, from sweet to savory! Why settle for what’s in the can when you can make it for yourself at home (with little to no effort, I may add)?

But… I can just buy pumpkin puree in can… Why should I make it at home?

I mean, first and foremost, because it tastes better. DUH.

There are some things that it doesn’t matter if you buy pre-made or if you make at home (pickles are one of those in my opinion, because I’ll never be able to make a kosher dill like what I can buy, and I accept that). However there are certain things that, when you make them at home, really make a difference. [Read more…]

Balsamic Grilled Vegetables Grilled Cheese Sandwich

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON May 22, 2019 // Leave a Comment

Up your sandwich game with a Balsamic Grilled Vegetables Grilled Cheese Sandwich this week! Fresh vegetables get a kiss from the grill with smoky flavor, then piled high on your favorite bread with savory Cache Valley® Sharp Cheddar. The final tang of a balsamic reduction makes for the best cheesy and bright bite of pure goodness.

This post has been sponsored by Dairy Farmers of America. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The sun is out and that means only one thing for me: my grill is on every. single. day.

Seriously though, there’s nothing like the warmer weather to get me in the mood for grilling. There’s something about that kiss of fire that really makes for a tasty combination of goodness, no matter what you might be cooking.

After heavy meals all winter long, I’m ready to start lightening things up (without making everything into a salad, of course).

With all the fresh produce popping up at the local Safeway, it’s time to make the most of the variety—isn’t it?!

[Read more…]

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON May 7, 2019 // Leave a Comment

Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast is sweet, tart, and downright sultry. The stuffed French toast makes you feel like you are eating a chocolate covered strawberry… but for breakfast! Ideal for Mother’s Day or a patio brunch party.

Plated French toast with berries and chocolate

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Sprouts! As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Cake ‘n Knife!

I LOVE chocolate covered strawberries. To me, there’s nothing more decadent than a perfectly ripe strawberry covered in your favorite kind of chocolate (or multiple types of chocolate!).

I could eat them all day long… well except for breakfast, I should say.

Fresh strawberries, chocolate, and orange juice with French toast

Eating chocolate covered strawberries for breakfast isn’t exactly my idea of something super satisfying, but that doesn’t mean we can’t incorporate those flavors into something luscious, am I right?

That’s why I put all that chocolate and strawberry goodness into a filling of creamy mascarpone, then stuffed it in between two slices of freshly cooked French toast.

[Read more…]

Easy Lemon Sugar Buns

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON March 28, 2019 // Leave a Comment

Everyone will jump out of bed for a fresh batch of Easy Lemon Sugar Buns! With the bright burst of lemon zest rolled up inside, these sugar-coated treats are ideal for spring. Pair with coffee or your favorite mimosa!

Good morning, good moooooooooorning!

Now, most of you know I am not a morning person. Like, at all.

I used to be one though! The alarm would go off and I would jump out of bed, ready to take on the world.

However, as I get older, I seem to be hitting the snooze button more and more often. I don’t know if it’s because the Man has the same habits of hitting snooze or if I am simply being hit with exhausted from my 30-something years on this Earth…

All I know is that it takes something exciting to get me out of bed in the morning.

These little easy lemon sugar buns are exactly the thing to get me excited to start my day.

I LOVE pastries like these. Whenever we travel, I’m constantly looking in coffee shop windows, hoping to find a sweet pastry treat to go alongside my caffeine fix.

Half the time it’s how I decide whether or not a coffee shop is worth stepping into.

Judgmental? Perhaps. Illogical? Absolutely NOT.

Now you can turn your own home into you very own little coffee shop!

These sugar buns are so stinking easy to make. You only need 5 ingredients! Most likely you probably already have those ingredients in your house, if you’re anything like me.

The best part is, there’s no fiddling with making pastry from scratch. As much as I LOVE baking, making puff pastry is a whole lot of work.

I took a French pastry class a handful of years ago, and it taught me one important thing. Buying puff pastry is 100% OK.

We all don’t have hours to make it at home, let’s be real.

So go ahead and “cheat” by buying the frozen sheets in the store. 😉

In just a few simple steps, you’ll have these sugary, bright buns in your kitchen alongside your coffee or favorite mimosa. You can even pair them alongside a Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl for a sweet treat with your superfoods!

They also travel well, so be sure to bring them to your next brunch or breakfast gathering! Everyone will swooooooooooon.

This Recipe’s Must-Haves

Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls are what every kitchen needs. With all the different sizes, you can easily make anything you need to!

I loooooooooove my Fox Run Marble Rolling Pin and Base! It’s the prettiest rolling pin and the most functional one I’ve ever used. The rolling pin stays cold, making it easier when you are working with pastry. In addition, it’s nice and heavy so you don’t have to put a lot of strength whenever you are rolling out your recipes.

This USA Pan Bakeware Cupcake and Muffin Pan is perfect for these sugar buns (as well as any cupcakes, muffins, and more). It’s heavy duty and it will last you for years!

Easy Lemon Sugar Buns

With a burst of lemon zest, these bright and light sugar buns are the best way to start the day. Only 5 ingredients and a few steps are required!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin

equipment

ingredients

7 Tbsp granulated sugar divided
2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp fine salt
2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed
4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temp

instructions

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or butter.
In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest, and salt.
Sprinkle a clean, flat work surface with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar. Place one sheet of puff pastry on top.
Spread the puff pastry with 2 Tbsp softened butter. Sprinkle with half of the lemon sugar.
Use a rolling pin to lightly roll the puff pastry evenly. This will help the sugar stick on both sides!
Tightly roll up the puff pastry from its longest side.
Repeat steps 3 through 6 with the other sheet of puff pastry.
Cut each long into 6 even rounds.
Place each round into a muffin cup, cut side up.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Carefully remove buns to a wire rack to cool slightly.
Add remaining granulated sugar to a small bowl. Toss each bun in the sugar to coat.
Serve warm.

Category: Breakfast

Citrus Guacamole

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON March 11, 2019 // Leave a Comment

Citrus Guacamole captures the juicy, bright flavors of some of your favorite fruits in a savory dip that brings a burst of sunshine into your mouth. The combination of orange, lime, and grapefruit makes the avocado stand out in a whole new tangy way! If you love guacamole, this is the next one you have to try.

Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. If purchases are made via these links, I will receive a small commission.

It’s no secret that I am an avocado fiend.

Avocados are just my thing. Everyone who knows me know that I love them.

If you ever want to make me irrationally angry, you will attempt to remove all the avocados I have in my home.

I absolutely love to make new and tasty guacamole recipes whenever the mood strikes me. Honestly, it’s the one snack/appetizer that I can never get enough of.

[Read more…]

Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Empanadas with Avocado Dipping Sauce

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 26, 2019 // 1 Comment

Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Empanadas with avocado dipping sauce are the ideal hearty, warm, and cheesy vegetarian handheld pies. Filled with plenty of vegetables and tangy goat cheese, the flavors dance across your taste buds in the best way! Going vegetarian for a night has never been tastier.

For me, butternut squash is not just one of those vegetables I bust out when it first comes in season back in fall.

I am a HUGE fan of butternut squash, particularly when I am going for a vegetarian option for lunch or dinner. It’s hearty and flavorful, with just the right amount of sweetness.

Keep on reading!

Ratatouille Hummus Toast With Soft Scrambled Eggs

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 21, 2019 // 1 Comment

Ratatouille Hummus Toast with Soft Scrambled Eggs is an elevated take on breakfast so you can start your day off on the right foot. A thick layer of hummus is& layered on hearty multigrain bread, then topped with a quick ratatouille sauté and soft scrambled eggs. It’s bursting with flavor!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Sabra. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cake ‘n Knife!

Get ready to start your day off with something extra delicious and downright tasty my friends.

Instead of reaching for the avocado toast like you usually do, isn’t it time to shake things up?

It’s time to introduce you to HUMMUS TOAST.

[Read more…]

King Cake Donut Holes

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 20, 2019 // 16 Comments

King Cake Donut Holes give you all the tasty king cake flavor, in miniature fried balls of fluffy dough. The dough is enhanced with a hefty hit of cinnamon, then fried and dunked in vanilla bean icing. All that’s left is a festive sprinkle of green, yellow, and purple sanding sugars to bring the Mardi Gras vibes right into your own kitchen!

Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will receive a small commission.

One of my goals in life is to make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Even though it’s after the football season is over (the Man is a BIG Saints fan, just in case you weren’t aware), I think it would be a pretty easy sell for him to go.

Honestly, it’s not really so I can walk around, drinking in the streets and partying until dawn.

Ok it’s not ONLY for that.

[Read more…]

Avocado Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Egg Rolls

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 15, 2019 // Leave a Comment

Avocado Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Egg Rolls are served with a creamy ranch dipping sauce, making for a flavorful and bright snack no one can resist. They are the ideal savory snack to serve up for any upcoming gathering you have planned! Be sure to make plenty, because they disappear FAST.

Let’s talk egg rolls shall we?

When it comes to making a unique snack, I’m all about frying up a batch of golden brown, crispy egg rolls. Did you know you can fill these bad boys with practically anything?

I’ve done just about everything you can imagine with egg rolls, from stuffing them with grilled vegetables to berries and cream cheese.

[Read more…]

Mocha Orange Mexican Wedding Cookies

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 8, 2019 // 1 Comment

Mocha Orange Mexican Wedding Cookies are a twist on the classic cookie recipe that melt in your mouth with every bite! The combination of espresso powder, cocoa powder, and fresh orange zest put these cookies over-the-top with a punch of citrusy chocolate flavor. All you need is a handful of ingredients!

OK, can I ask just one question.

WHY IS DIETING SO FREAKING HARD?

I honestly am trying to be better about the things I put in my body, in favor of trimming off that holiday excess I inhaled. However, for some reason this time is a lot harder than usual.

Perhaps it’s because I keep making things like these cookies…

See? Sometimes being a food blogger is actually a whole lot tougher than you might think at times.

I’m even heading to a mac and cheese festival tonight… Of course, I KNOW I shouldn’t complain, but the body issues are hanging over my head a lot lately. I don’t know if it’s because my metabolism seems to be slowing. Perhaps it’s because I am following one too many fashion Instagrammers. Maybe I am just being uniquely hard on myself (as is my tendency).

Despite the current mood of self-doubt that’s floating around in my head, I can always seem to bring myself out of it when I bake.

That might seem a little crazy because baking usually involves sweets which I am trying to avoid eating too much of, however, you still have to enjoy life.

Finding this balance isn’t quite there yet, but a cookie at the end of the day isn’t going to kill me.

It’s always hard to remember that, isn’t it? Tell me someone out there gets all this rambling I’m doing!

Let’s talk about how these cookies have given me the little lift I needed this week.

Mexican wedding cookies are usually a cookie that people bring out around the holidays (they are also know as “snowball cookies”). However, this is a celebration cookie that I think should be brought out year round.

The base recipe is truly flavorful and simple, but it can also be easily updated with different flavor combinations.

Here I’ve brought together chocolate, coffee, and orange to give some added depth to the already tasty recipe! I love the zing of the orange that comes through in each bite. Not to mention the mocha notes bring out the richness in flavor…

Finally, you get that little extra sweet hit at the end of each bite from the powdered sugar.

It’s just the right amount of sweetness to make it a cookie that’s ideal for a snack, tea time, or a little treat at the end of a longggggg day.

Pair them with a warm and cozy mug of mexican hot chocolate to complete the whole indulgent experience!

Side note: if anyone out there has any tips on dieting that DON’T include protein shakes or diet pills, I’d love to hear them! Looking for real life balance here, not a crash diet 😉 Tell me your tips in the comments!

This Recipe’s Must-Haves

If you don’t already have a KitchenAid mixer, I highly recommend this KitchenAid 7-Quart Pro Line Stand Mixer. The Man surprised me with it for Christmas last year, and it’s been my new baby ever since. I ADORE it.

Whenever I bake, I am always reaching for my Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mats and USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pans. They churn out perfectly baked cookies every. single. time.

One of my pro tips for making these cookies is to cover them with an extra dusting of powdered sugar just before serving. The OXO Good Grips Baker’s Dusting Wand is ideal for just this purpose! Plus it’s super affordable!