Tired of the same old desserts? Let’s bring back pudding!

Honestly, when is the last time you had a pudding-like treat after dinner? They’re so delicious that I’ll never understand why they aren’t more popular!

This gorgeous layered strawberry panna cotta recipe is so easy to make and is a great way to end our meal. It’s also a great make-ahead dessert for holidays. You can garnish it with blueberries for a festive fourth of July treat or with sugared cranberries for the winter holidays.

What is Panna Cotta?

If you’ve never has panna cotta, you’re in for a treat! It’s a rich, pudding-like dessert made from sweetened cream and, in this recipe, topped with gelled strawberries. It’s the perfect elegant finish to your meal.

Panna cotta hails from Italy, and translates to “cooked cream” which is exactly what it is! It has a silky texture similar to crème brulee or flan, but is lighter since it’s traditionally thickened with gelatin instead of egg yolks. (If you’re looking for a delicious creme brulee recipe, check out this Instant Pot creme brulee from my cookbook!)

Can you make vegan panna cotta without gelatin?

The strawberry panna cotta recipe I’m sharing today is a vegan panna cotta, so it’s a twist on the traditional recipe.

Instead of using milk and heavy cream, we’ll use nondairy versions of those two ingredients. Using vanilla coconut milk means we can also skip the additional vanilla extract. I love being able to cut down on the number of ingredients!

What is agar agar?

To thicken this vegan panna cotta, we’ll use powdered agar agar instead of gelatin. Agar agar is a flavorless, vegan-friendly thickener that’s derived from red algae instead of from collagen. It acts very similarly to gelatin, but is a little firmer. It also holds up better in heat and won’t melt the way gelatin based desserts do, so it’s perfect for summer!

Agar agar is most commonly sold as flakes or in a powdered form and can be found in most major grocery stores, health food stores, or on Amazon. In general, you’ll ass 1 tablespoon of agar flakes or 1 teaspoon of agar powder to every cup of liquid in your recipe. As with gelatin, you’ll need to dissolve the agar in hot liquid to activate it.

How to make layered Strawberry Panna Cotta

For this strawberry panna cotta recipe, I decided to take the presentation up a notch by pouring the layers at an angle. It looks so fancy, but it’s such an easy trick!

To get this layered look, simply use a small glass or bowl to hold your serving vessel at an angle. Once the first layer sets, you can place the container upright and it will hold its shape! Pour the second layer right on top.

You can also get super fancy with a three layered panna cotta by angling the cup in the other direction when you pour the second layer in, then using a third sauce or a second layer of panna cotta to top it off!

Looking for more healthy dessert ideas? Try:

• Low Carb Coffee Popsicles
• Dairy free cupcakes
• Small-batch almond thumbprint cookies
• Grain-free apple crisp foil packets
• Apple baklava bites
• Gluten-free Financiers

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Strawberry Panna Cotta

This luscious vegan panna cotta is topped with fresh strawberry sauce for a delicious dessert that adults and kids alike will gobble up! Impressive enough to serve at a dinner party, it's made with just 5 ingredients and a few minutes of active prep time.

Course Healthy Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Additional Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 351kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• OXO Good Grips 6-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer
• Swerve Sweetener, Granular, 12 Ounce (Pack of 2)
• Agar Agar 

Ingredients

For the panna cotta:

• 1 ¾ cup nondairy heavy cream see note
• ½ cup granulated sweetener such as Swerve
• ½ cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk divided
• 2 teaspoons powdered agar agar

For the Strawberry Sauce:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries stems removed
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sweetener such as Swerve
• 1 teaspoon powdered agar agar
• 2 Tablespoons very hot water

Instructions

• To make the panna cotta: Combine the heavy cream, sweetener, and 2 Tablespoons of nondairy milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally. 
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons of agar agar into the remaining milk. 
• When the cream begins to simmer, whisk in the agar agar mixture. 
• Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh colander into a measuring cup. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Divide the mixture among your serving vessels. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2-3 hours until fully set. 
• To make the strawberry sauce: Add the strawberries and sweetener to a blender or food processor. Puree to make a smooth sauce. Pass through a strainer to remove the seeds.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the agar agar with the hot water until dissolved. Stir into the strawberry puree. 
• Pour the strawberry sauce over the set panna cotta. Return to the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, until set.

Notes

Silk nondairy heavy whipping cream is great in this recipe, but it can be hard to find. You can also use unsweetened coconut cream.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 13mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g

I used to be the kind of person who would go to the grocery store 3 times a week to grab whatever I felt like making for dinner that night. I never really had to plan ahead, could make whatever it was that I was craving, and didn’t have to worry about my ingredients being fresh.

Like so many things, that completely changed over the last year.

Now, I get groceries delivered once a week or so which means planning ahead is crucial. And no matter how well I plan, my produce starts to look pretty sad by the end of the week.

One night not too long ago I was staring at the fridge wondering what on earth I was going to make for dinner. My eyes landed on a bag of frozen mixed vegetables that had been in the freezer for who knows how long.

I thought to myself… can you roast frozen vegetables?

It turns out you can! Roast frozen vegetables are super easy to make and very convenient.

You don’t have to worry about fresh produce going bad and since most vegetables are frozen at peak ripeness they can be better than what’s languishing in your refrigerator drawers.

I know, frozen vegetables might bring back some not-so-great memories.

I promise you these aren’t the waterlogged, bland boiled frozen vegetables that we grew up with. Roast frozen vegetables are surprisingly tasty!

They’re still softer than fresh vegetables are, but their flavor gets concentrated and they caramelize and brown better than I would have guessed.

Pro Tip: Like anything, different quality products will give you different results.

I loved the way Whole Foods 365 organic root vegetables roasted and could happily eat them every day.

I also had great luck with locally grown frozen broccoli that’s available at our neighborhood co-op. And I’m OBSESSED with roast frozen Brussels sprouts.

The store-brand mixed vegetables shown here were tasty but did come out much softer and with less flavor than the more premium products did. They also had a thicker layer of ice on them straight from the bag, which resulted in them steaming a little more than roasting. They didn’t get quite as browned or crispy as the other vegetables did.

How to roast frozen vegetables in 3 easy steps

Step 1: Lightly coat the frozen vegetables with oil

Like I explained in my roast carrots recipe, coating the vegetables with oil helps increase their surface temperature and insulated them so they don’t dry out in the hot oven.

You can do this by tossing them with oil in a mixing bowl or by using an oil spray to lightly mist them.

You do not need to defrost the vegetables first.

Step 2: Spread them in a single layer on a preheated baking sheet

Stick your baking sheet in the oven while it preheats to help speed up the cooking process and get those veggies nice and hot!

Be sure the spread the vegetables in a single layer so they have plenty of space around them. If you crowd them together, they’ll steam and won’t get those terrific browned bits that make roasted vegetables so good.

Step 3: Flip them after 15 minutes

After about 15 minutes, the vegetables should start to brown. Flip them over so both sides can get nice and caramelized.

Seasoning ideas for frozen vegetables

When it comes to seasoning roast vegetables, there are so many options!

Try:

• Homemade Cajun seasoning
• Curry powder
• Chili powder
• Za’atar and lemon zest
• Lemon pepper
• Garlic and red pepper flakes

You can also add flavor to these roast frozen veggies after they come out of the oven by:

• Tossing them in your favorite vinaigrette
• Drizzling them with a balsamic reduction
• Mixing them with lemon zest and fresh parsley
• Using them as a base for another recipe, like this roast cauliflower with pomegranate seeds

Serving suggestions

These roast vegetables are perfect as a side dish when you need something in a pinch. I love serving them on the side of roast chicken thighs.

But you can also get creative!

Try piling roasted root vegetables on top of baby spinach and pouring on some citrus vinaigrette to make a hearty winter salad.

You can also add them to broth to make an easy but flavorful soup. I love adding leftover roast butternut squash to store-bought coconut-lime broth for an easy lunch.

More vegetable side dish ideas

• Fresh green bean casserole
• Scalloped potatoes
• Roast acorn squash
• Baked butternut squash
• Grilled zucchini
• Classic cucumber salad
• Easy corn salad

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How to Roast Frozen Vegetables

If you're like me and love roasting veggies but don't always have fresh vegetables on hand, I've got great news for you. You can roast frozen vegetables! Frozen veggies are picked at the peak of their ripeness and flash-frozen to lock in those flavors and roasting them straight from the freezer is so easy.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword frozen vegetables, roast frozen vegetables, roated frozen vegetables

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 77kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 16 ounce bag frozen vegetables
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a baking sheet in the oven while it heats up.
• In a mixing bowl, toss the frozen vegetables with the oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you want to use.
• Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the hot baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then give them a good stir. Return them to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crisp. (Note larger cuts and sturdier vegetables will take longer to roast than more delicate vegetables. Some, like green beans, may be done after the first 15 minutes.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

CREAMY VEGETABLE QUINOA SOUP IS A COZY WINTER MEAL

If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I love soup. I could probably eat it every day, especially in the fall and winter, and I have enough soup recipes to fill a book (maybe even two!).

You’re going to love this healthy vegetable quinoa soup recipe, I just know it! It’s basically the perfect soup for a rainy fall day: warm and cozy with tons of texture and flavor to keep things interesting.

Just like my super popular chicken and cauliflower rice soup, this quinoa soup gets is enriched with coconut milk. This gives the broth a luxuriously silky texture and creamy flavor while keeping the recipe entirely vegetarian.

Ingredients for Homemade Mushroom Soup with Quinoa

This recipe relies on nutritious kitchen staples to give it tons of flavor. This is great because if you keep a well-stocked fridge, you’ll be able to throw this healthy soup recipe together any time a craving hits!

To make it, you’ll need:

• Mushrooms. You can use either white mushrooms or cremini mushrooms in this soup, so grab whichever you’re in the mood for.
• Quinoa. If you’ve never tried quinoa in soup before, you’re going to love it — it has so much texture and it doesn’t break down or get soggy like rice can. For the best results, cook the quinoa separately and stir it in at the end. That way it doesn’t soak up all of the broth and make your soup too thick.
• Carrots. I like to use pretty big pieces of carrot in this soup for added texture. (In case you haven’t noticed yet, this soup is all about texture!) The larger pieces mean it will take a little longer to cook, but I think it’s worth it. If you’re in a rush, you can cut the carrots into coins so they cook faster.
• Onion and Garlic. What recipe is complete without them?
• Canned Coconut Milk. This is where the magic happens. You’re looking for canned coconut milk here, not refrigerated coconut milk beverage like you’d pour onto a bowl of cereal. Shake the can well before opening it in case the solids have separated from the coconut water. Once you add the coconut milk, don’t return the soup to a boil as this can cause it to separate and curdle.
• Vegetable Broth. This will form the base of your soup. I always keep a few cartons in my cabinet, but Better Than Bouillon works in a pinch. You can buy it online or in most grocery stores. Trader Joes also makes their own version which is also really good.
• Cornstarch. This helps thicken the broth and give it a silky texture. It also helps stabilize the coconut milk and helps prevent it from breaking down.
• Lemon Juice. For that bright pop of flavor every soup needs! If you don’t have a lemon on hand, you can also use a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
• Dried Herbs. I love adding dried crushed rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes to give this hearty soup recipe fons of flavor. Crushed rosemary has a nice texture than regular dried rosemary, so it doesn’t feel like you’re eating pine needles. If you only have regular rosemary, you can use a knife to finely dice it until it has the consistency of ground pepper.

Cooking with quinoa

Quinoa is great in everything from soups like this one. You can also use it as a base for grain bowls, a filling for stuffed mushrooms or peppers, or even as a gluten-free breading for chicken fingers! If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it.

While often used as a grain, quinoa is actually a seed from a plan native to Peru. It’s related to beets, chard, and spinach — but it definitely doesn’t taste like any of them!

Quinoa is a good source of protein, iron, and fiber, and is often called a superfood for its robust nutritional profile.

In nature, quinoa seeds are coated with bitter substances called saponins. These help keep the plant safe by deterring animals from eating them as well as protecting them from bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Removing saponins from quinoa

These saponins are extremely bitter and can leave you with an upset stomach. Luckily, they can be removed easily by rinsing the quinoa well before you cook it.

To remove the saponins, add the quinoa to a fine mesh colander and place it under running water. Swish the quinoa around to help loosen it up and ensure the water flows between each seed. It will look foamy and cloudy at first, but once the quinoa is thoroughly rinsed, the water will be clear.

A lot of commercial quinoa these days is sold pre-rinsed, but it never hurts to give it a good rinse just in case. I accidentally bought unrinsed quinoa once and didn’t rinse it myself — trust me, I’ll never make that mistake again!

Can I use lite coconut milk instead of full fat?

Coconut milk is a great way to add a creamy element to dairy-free soup recipes but a lot of people ask if they can use lite coconut milk instead so cut calories and far.

Here’s the deal: Lite coconut milk is just watered down coconut milk.

Seriously! Look at the nutrition label and you’ll see the ingredients are just coconut milk and water. Some brands will also add gums and stabilizers to make it resemble the texture of full-fat coconut milk, but those can throw off both the flavor and texture.

Does putting watered-down coconut milk in your soup sound good? It would be like adding skim milk instead of cream! It will just water it down and dilute the flavor.

Of course, you could use it and then boil the soup down the make it thicker, but at that point you could have just started with a smaller amount of full-fat coconut milk in the first place since you’re basically just cooking the water back out of it.

Lite coconut milk definitely has it’s place, but you can make it yourself by adding water to full fat coconut milk. You’ll end up getting twice the amount for the same price.

TLDR? Just use full fat coconut milk. Your taste buds will thank you.

Also, be sure not to confuse coconut milk with coconut milk beverage, coconut cream, or cream of coconut. Here’s a great article outlining the different types of canned coconut that are available.

More healthy vegetable soup recipes:

• Spicy Broccoli and 3 Cheese Soup
• The Best Easy Cabbage Soup (Low Carb, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Lightened Up Stuffed Pepper Soup (Paleo/Whole 30 Options)
• 30-Minute Tortellini Vegetable Soup

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Creamy Mushroom + Quinoa Soup

Course Soups and Stews

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade mushroom soup, quinoa soup, quinoa soup recipe, vegan mushroom soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 232kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 4 – 5 garlic cloves minced
• 8 ounces fresh white or cremini mushrooms
• 2 carrots cut into 1.5-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk canned
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Fresh parsley for garnish if desired

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add onion, garlic, and pinch of salt. Cook until they being to soften, 3-5 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms, carrots, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the cornstarch.
• Pour in the broth and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.
• Stir in the coconut milk and cooked quinoa.
• Stir in the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley or grated parmesan, if desired.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 recipe | Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g

More healthy soup recipes you’ll love:

Danish shortbread liquorice shortbread caramels. Tootsie roll oat cake chocolate bar chocolate wafer macaroon. Apple pie bonbon oat cake tootsie roll cheesecake chocolate cake cheesecake cheesecake. Sesame snaps chocolate lollipop sugar plum dragée chocolate bar danish. Cotton candy chocolate cake apple pie tootsie roll pudding cake tart lemon drops. Shortbread sesame snaps croissant icing powder cotton candy sesame snaps cheesecake liquorice. Muffin wafer croissant soufflé sweet cookie tootsie roll. Chocolate sweet roll candy liquorice candy canes pudding bonbon lemon drops icing.

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Delicous Apple Pie

Jelly dragée marshmallow biscuit bonbon jelly-o. Cheesecake ice cream sweet roll chocolate pie gingerbread jelly beans. Lollipop tiramisu cake candy canes sweet gummi bears pudding donut jelly beans. Caramels tootsie roll pie macaroon.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Lauren Keating

Cost $10

Ingredients

• 4 tspn cinnamon
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 4 cup flour

Instructions

• This is step one of your instructions
• This is step two of your instructions

Chocolate wafer macaroon cookie chocolate bar wafer croissant gummi bears. Gummi bears gummies tootsie roll soufflé tootsie roll pie jelly beans jelly beans pie. Candy toffee oat cake gummi bears chupa chups wafer pudding. Chocolate cake lollipop wafer candy muffin jujubes chocolate ice cream. Cotton candy pudding bonbon toffee pie shortbread chocolate powder. Dragée halvah danish pastry ice cream dessert marshmallow sweet roll cupcake.

For the past few months, I’ve been seeing recipe after recipe using cashew milk. And I’ll admit it, I was jealous. Where were they all getting cashew milk that was cheap enough to drink? I’ve only ever known it to be part of a juice cleanse and those are definitely not affordable.

Finally, I found it, right there next to the coconut milk I buy every week: Silk cashew milk. I brought some home and took a tentative taste, not fully knowing what to expect. It was thick and creamy, and definitely tasted strongly of cashews. I bought the unsweetened version; with a little honey stirred in and cinnamon dusted over the top, it’s just as delicious as the cashew milk I was familiar with.

I’m not sure why, but the idea of making French toast casserole with the cashew milk immediately jumped into my head. I love traditional French toast casserole (also known as baked French toast), but it’s typically loaded with eggs, cream, and enough sugar to make you jittery all day long. So, I lightened it up!

I scrapped the traditional custard and made one with cashew milk, bananas, and chia seeds. I cut way back on the sugar and used agave nectar instead of the corn syrup most recipes call for. Since I love warm spices with cashews, I infused the milk with chai and added lots of cinnamon and cardamom. (I think the cashew milk would also be delicious in my one-pot shrimp and udon bowls.)

My lightened up French toast casserole still has more calories than my typical breakfasts do, but it’s great for a special occasion! PS – I used regular butter, but if you use dairy-free butter the casserole would also be vegan.

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Cashew-Chai French Toast Casserole

Prep Time 8 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 450kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 loaf 16 ounces Italian bread
• 2 cups Silk unsweetened cashew milk
• 3 bags chai tea
• 2 bananas
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

For the Topping:

• 4 Tablespoons butter or dairy-free butter cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup brown sugar packed
• 2 tablespoon light agave nectar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ⅓ cup cashews roughly chopped

Instructions

• Cut the bread into 1-inch pieces; place in a large mixing bowl.
• In a saucepan, bring the cashew milk to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes, then discard the bags. Transfer the cashew milk to a blender. Add the banana, brown sugar, chia seeds, vanilla, and spiced; blend until smooth. Pour the liquid over the bread; turn to coat.
• Transfer the bread and any extra liquid to a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, heat the oven to 350ºF.
• In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, agave, and spices; mix with a form until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the cashews. Spread the topping over the uncovered casserole.
• Bake 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Protein: 10.1g | Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Fiber: 5.3g

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.