By Laura Theodore
With warm weather finally here, it’s time for delicious meals that are easy to pack up for a fun picnic on the water. Here are some of my favorite, easy recipes filled with great flavors and healthy ingredients that are simple to make and travel well.
Four-Ingredient Apricot Bars are tasty, easy to make, and easy on the wallet. The sweetness comes from the apricot preserves and rolled oats provide the crunch. Mashed bananas stand in beautifully for the egg, and the vanilla extract really jazzes it up!
Chilled Minty Cucumber and Carrot Soup makes a colorful and refreshing first course, or a light and frosty summer luncheon entrée. The beautiful orange hue, combined with a hint of mint, produces a delicate and welcoming flavor to this easy-to-make warm weather soup.
Can’t you just imagine feasting on a Tex-Mex Salad Bowl featuring a zingy lime-based dressing? A Tex-Mex style salad is traditionally made with black beans, but my recipe pairs crisp romaine with cooked garbanzo beans. So add a jazzy twist with black bean tortilla chips as a festive garnish — the chips provide a pleasing crunch, flavor, and texture, adding a wow factor to this satisfying salad.
Makes 12 bars
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon rolled oats
¾ cup thick apricot preserves (see note)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch square rimmed baking pan with vegan margarine. Line the pan with unbleached parchment paper, leaving an overhang of 2-inch “wings” on two opposite sides of the pan.
To make the dough, put the bananas and the vanilla extract into a large bowl and mash into a chunky purée using a potato masher or large fork. Add the oats and stir with a large spoon to combine thoroughly.
Press half of the dough mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Spread the apricot preserves over the dough in an even layer. Top with the remaining dough, patting it down gently into an even layer. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Put the pan on a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes. Cut the “cake” into 12 bars, using a serrated knife and wiping the knife clean often. Using the paper “wings,” carefully lift the bars out of the pan and set them on the wire rack. Let the bars cool for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
Wrapped tightly and refrigerated, leftover bars will keep up to 2 days.
CHEF’S NOTE: If the preserves you are using are “watery,” drain the excess liquid from the preserves before measuring and using in this recipe. Do this by placing the preserves in a fine-screened sieve set over a bowl. Let drain for 15 minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed.
Makes 4 servings
22/3 cups peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
1½ cups peeled and chopped carrots
1 cup water
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
½ teaspoon firmly packed chopped fresh mint
Put all the ingredients into a blender and process until almost smooth.
Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours or until well chilled. Stir before serving.
Makes 2 main dish salads
SALAD
8 cups loosely packed baby romaine or chopped romaine
20 black bean tortilla chips
14 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed, if canned
Kernels from 1 large ear of corn, cooked (or ¾ cup canned corn kernels, drained)
½ cup seeded and chopped orange or red sweet bell pepper
4 green queen olives with pimento, sliced
½ of a large avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
SWEET AND SPICY LIME DRESSING
2½ tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For each salad, put 4 cups of lettuce into a large bowl. Arrange 10 tortilla chips around the circumference of the bowl. Artfully arrange 14 tomato halves on top of the lettuce. Top with one-half of the chickpeas, corn kernels, and sweet peppers. Sprinkle one-half of the olives over the salad and arrange one-half of the avocado slices on top in a pleasing manner.
Put all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and briskly whisk until smooth (see note). Drizzle one-half of the dressing over each salad.
CHEF’S NOTE: For a creamier dressing, add more mayonnaise to taste, up to 2 tablespoons.
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All recipes from JazzyVegetarian’s Deliciously Vegan, published by Scribe Publishing Company. ©2018 and reprinted 
by permission.
Laura Theodore is a nationally recognized television personality, radio host, vegan chef, restaurateur, and author of four plant-based cookbooks. Season Seven of the Jazzy Vegetarian television show airs nationally on the Create Channel, every Monday and Friday (check local listings). Learn more: www.jazzyvegetarian.com .
Recipe for Raspberry Fudge Truffles
These jazzylicious fudge truffles travel well. Rich, dark chocolate combined with raspberry preserves makes a delectable treat that fills the bill when a decadent dessert is called for! I pack them in a single layer inside a storage container with a tight-fitting lid. Place the truffles in your cooler and keep them chilled until right before serving.
Raspberry Fudge Truffles
Makes 8 truffles
3½ ounces vegan dark chocolate (chocolate bar, not baking chocolate)
2 heaping tablespoons raspberry preserves
⅓ cup raisins
3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon unsweetened coconut flakes, for garnish
Line a mini-muffin tin with 8 festive paper liners.
Drain off any excess liquid from the raspberry preserves. Put the raspberry preserves in a medium bowl. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Pour the chocolate into the raspberry preserves and stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in the raisins.
Mound the mixture into the 8 muffin cups, dividing it evenly, using a small scoop. Dust the truffles with cocoa powder. Top each truffle with a bit of coconut.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Serve cold.
Recipe from Jazzy Vegetarian: Lively Vegan Cuisine Made Easy and Delicious
©Laura Theodore and reprinted by permission.
