Cassie DeNisco

Vegan Chickpea Orzo Soup

January 2, 2024

I have a delicious recipe for you today that I know you’re going to love! My vegan chickpea orzo soup is so easy to make and perfectly cozy for these colder winter months. I also love that this is a vegan recipe because I love incorporating meatless meals into my rotation! This is perfect for your new year resolution to be a little healthier!

This is definitely one of my easier recipes and really doesn’t need too much! I feel like many of us have these ingredients on hand already, so it might just be the orzo you have to actually get! I hope you love this as much as I do!!

Ingredients:

8 cups veggie broth

1 bag orzo

can carrots

1 can chickpeas

1 tbsp flour

medium onion diced

2-3 celery stalks diced

1 tbsp garlic

italian seasoning

1-2 tbsp vegan heavy cream or milk

salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

To a large pot, sauté diced celery and onions in buter, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add in 2 tbsp of flour and stir until thick.
Add in veggie broth, orzo, chick peas, and carrots.
Bring to a boil then cook until orzo is al dente. Make sure you stir often!
Remove from heat and stir in seasonings and heavy cream.
Serve with biscuits or bread and enjoy!!

As you can see this is literally the easiest soup recipe! I love this vegan chickpea orzo soup because it’s packed with veggies! If you loved this recipe, you can follow me on pinterest or click here for more recipes!

My Salmon Bites Recipe!

October 9, 2023

I’m sharing a quick a delicious salmon bites recipe that will have you adding it to your weekly rotation! I use these salmon bites in a delicious bowl that seriously takes about 25 minutes tops! This has become my go to Monday meal because I’m obssessed!

This post contains a few affiliate links for some of the kitchen items I mention! As always I make a small commission if you purchase through me but no pressure! I hope you love this yummy recipe as much as I do!

Ingredients

1 pound salmon (cubed & skinned)

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp sriracha (add more or less depending on how spicy you like)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 drizzle sesame oil

air fryer & parchment paper

Optional add ons: white rice, cucumbers, carrots, & sesame seeds

Directions:

Start by taking the skin off your salmon. With a sharp knife, carefully remove the skin as if you were cutting thin chicken cutlets. Cube the salmon and set aside.
Assemble your marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sriracha, garlic & sesame oil. Add in the salmon and marinate for at least 20 minutes. (I prep before hand so I set if for like 2 hours)
Place parchment paper or parchment paper liner in your air fyer and add salmon. Cook on 400 degrees for 9 minutes, flipping salmon over halfway through for maximum crisp!
Serve with rice, cucumber and carrots !

I just started making a little extra sauce and putting it to the side to save as a top drizzle. You should not use any extra marinade from the raw salmon because that can make you sick.

I love this salmon bites recipe because it’s really a great twist on my Crispy Salmon Recipe here! It really levels up your dinner and makes everything taste better!

If you loved this post, be sure to check out more of my recipes here!

Affiliate Links

Air Fryer- shop here

Parchment Paper Liners- shop here

My Go To Greek Salad Bowl

May 3, 2023

As the weather gets warmer, I become more obsessed with salads and bowls. I’ve been making this Greek salad bowl on repeat and I just had to share it with you. The flavors are so fresh and I feel like everyone has these ingredients on hand in the warmer months!

Often salads can be so daunting because they’re just not filling but I make sure to hit all my bases with a salad that is well balanced. From protein to fiber and carbs, this salad will have you wanting it for dinner all week long!

Ingredients:

pickled red onions

canned chickpeas drained & rinsed

diced cucumber

diced tomatoes

dill

lemon

tzaziki

pita

cooked farro or couscous

greens of choice (I like a 50/50 blend)

Directions:

Add diced cucumbers, tomatoes, chopped dill, and the juice of half a lemon to a bowl and let set for about 30 minutes.
Warm your pita by preheating oven to 350 and baking until brown on each side but not too crisp.
Assemble your salad with greens, cooked couscous, tzatziki for the dressing, cucumber tomato mix, chick peas, and picked red onions!
Enjoy!

Salads like this really keep you full because they have the greens but they have the the grains that do the heavy lifting. I used to avoid salads because I knew I’d be so hungry after eating one but looking at one like this has changed the game for me.

This greek salad bowl is honestly my new obsession! I have a few other salad recipes here on the blog or you can check our my pinterest for even more recipes!

My Fall Harvest Bowl!

October 10, 2022

I am so excited to be sharing with you my viral fall harvest bowl! This was posted on Pinterest Here and it seriously blew up! I am so glad everyone is enjoying this bowl because I swear it is the perfect transition meal!

Whether you want a warm dinner or a chilled side, this bowl is great for meal prep! You can make it in advance and use it throughout the week for lunches or dinners! I love how filling it is alone and it’s vegan so you’re also doing good for the planet too!

Ingredients:

1 box of orzo
1 can chickpeas
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 red onion
handful of grape tomatoes
handful of walnuts
olive oil
maple syrup
red wine vinegar
basil
oregano
red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

Directions:

Start by preheating your oven to 425 and dicing up your sweet potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. Add to an oven safe pan, drizzle with olive oil, and bake until all are soft.
Meanwhile drain chickpeas and add to a baking sheet with walnuts. Bake walnuts for 5 minutes until crisp and remove. Keep chickpeas in until they harden.
Cook orzo according to the package.
Make dressing by combining 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, and dashes of basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Combine all together and mix well, adding salt & pepper to taste!
Enjoy!!

I hope you enjoyed this Fall Harvest Bowl recipe! I have this recipe on repeat each week because it’s just that good. If you liked this recipe, you can check out more recipes here!

Cheesy Pesto Pasta Recipe!

September 19, 2022

I’m super excited to be sharing with you this super yummy cheesy pesto pasta recipe! I’m making a vegan version for myself but you can always use regular cheese for yourself! Pesto is like my go to pasta for summer but adding cheese helps to transition it to a heartier meal for fall!

I’m going to share with you my 3 ingredient pesto recipe that I use to create this delicious dish! It’s so easy and you can make it to freeze too! I recommend getting a basil plant if you do like pesto because it ends up being cheaper and you have it for so many recipes!

Ingredients

Handful of Fresh basil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound of pasta

Myokos Vegan Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes

Directions

Boil water and cook pasta according to the box. Once finished, drain water and add a little olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.
To make the pesto, add a handful of basil, minced garlic and olive oil to a mini chopper and blend. You can make this thinner or thicker depending on how you like your pesto.
Shred vegan mozzarella and then add pesto and mozzarella back to the pasta pot with the pasta. Mix until the cheese is a little melted.
Plate pasta with sliced grape tomatoes on top and enjoy!

As you can see, my cheesy pesto pasta recipe is seriously that easy! I am so obsessed with how good this dish is. This is a great fresh recipe for this transitional time from summer to fall too! I love that it’s still light from the pesto but the cheese really makes it more decadent!

If you love this recipe, check out more of my recipes here! Also, I’ve been posting a lot of idea pin recipes on Pinterest so follow me there too!

A Crispy Salmon Recipe!

June 13, 2022

My last salmon recipe, which you can find here, instantly became a fan favorite for my blog! It is so delicious and easy to make. I wanted to share this updated version of my crispy salmon recipe that I have been loving because it’s seriously that good.

The ingredients are pretty much the same but the actual way I make it is different. This leaves the salmon so crispy on top but juicy inside. I crave this recipe at least once a week and it seriously has become a staple in our house!

Ingredients

1 tbsp minced garlic

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

3 tbsp sriracha (use less if you don’t like spice)

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1.5 lbs fresh salmon

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425
Start by creating the sauce over a medium heat. Add a little olive oil to an oven safe pan and then add minced garlic. Cook until fragrant then add soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha, and honey.
Once sauce starts to thicken remove from heat, add sesame oil, and set aside.
Add a teeny bit of oil back into the pan then add your salmon skin side up. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until you can easily flip the salmon over with a spatula.
Once the salmon is flipped, pour a little sauce over it and put in the oven for about 5-7 minutes. This depends on how you like your salmon, I always do 5.
Take out & enjoy!

I love to make rice with this crispy salmon recipe and roast some broccoli. The combo is just so good and I always save a little sauce to pour over everything. Making this salmon is super easy and it’s one pan so it helps to make your clean up easy!

Let me know in the comments below your favorite way to cook salmon! I am really trying to step up my game in the kitchen so be sure to subscribe here so you won’t miss a recipe!

My Green Smoothie Recipe to Boost Beauty

May 16, 2022

I am so excited that the weather in NY is finally warming up. I’m sharing with you today my go to green smooth recipe that is great to boost your beauty. Smoothies are my favorite summer morning drink to get in your greens and keep you cool.

I also feel like the summer months are my favorite for fresh produce which helps to elevate these smoothies. I’ve shared my green juice recipe before but never my smoothie. This is perfectly sweet and refreshing for the warmer months!

Ingredients for Green Smoothie Recipe:

1 Frozen Banana

1/2 c frozen mango

1 c spinach

1 tsp Spirulina powder

Coconut Water

Directions:

In a powerful blender, combine frozen banana, frozen mango, and spirulina powder.
Fill to the top with spinach and then pour in about 1/2 cup of coconut water.
Blend and see consistency. If you like it thicker your might just need to add a teeny bit more coconut water where as if you want it thinner add a lot more coconut water!
Pour in a mason jar & enjoy!

As you can see this smoothie recipe is so easy to make but is oh so good. This green smoothie recipe has all the tropical vibes you’re looking for on a summer morning. Smoothies are seriously such a go to for greens in the am to start off your day.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to subscribe here to my mailing list so you never miss a post! Let me know of your favorite smoothie combinations in the comments below!

Plant Based Alternatives I Love

May 2, 2022

I have been dairy free for almost a year now and seriously have never felt better. People always ask me how I do it, so I thought I’d share my top plant based alternatives that keep me going. I developed severe lactose intolerance over the past few years so I’ve become a pro at yummy dairy free things.

A lot of times people ask if I’m vegan but to be honest I don’t like to label myself. I am 100% dairy free due to medical reasons but I’ll eat meat here or there. This is my favorite list of milks, cheeses, and other plant based products & brands!

Follow Your Heart

This is my go to brand for any kind of vegan cheese. I love their Parmasean, Feta, and even recently discovered their sliced cheese. This brand makes me not even miss real cheese. I highly recommend checking out Follow Your Heart if you can. I usually find mine in Target and I’m telling you, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

Simply

The simply brand is my go to for milks. I love that the ingredients are super minimal and the taste is pretty good. The only issue I have with it is that it is so hard to find. Honestly, I think it’s because it is so good! I usually will buy an extra almond or oat milk if I see it because often dairy alternative milks have so many unnecessary ingredients. This brand is so minimal and has a great taste.

Planet Oat

When I can’t get simple, Planet Oat is my next best thing. Ingredients are a little iffy however, the taste and consistency is spot on to dairy milk. I also am obsessed with the Planet Oat ice creams. I found when I went dairy free it was so hard to have ice cream but after discovering this brand, I can have whatever Ice cream I want by them because it’s so good.

Violife

If you’re looking for a good chunk cheese to maybe have a cheese board or shred yourself, check out Violife. I love their white cheddar chunk and love it in mac n cheese or scalloped potatoes. I don’t really like anything else by this brand but the chunk cheeses make me continue to come back for more.

Made Good

My final holly grail is the Made Good granola bars. Let me tell you, typical granola bar brands sneak so much stuff in them. I love these because not only are they dairy free, but their nut and allergy free too so if I’m on the go I won’t upset someones allergy. Again this are so hard to find but I stock up when I find them!

These are my tried and true products and brands that are plant based alternatives. It took me a while to get to the point where I could even recommend anything because you really have to try it for awhile. One thing to note is that I am huge on the ingredients in products but some of these don’t have the best. In situations like this, I choose flavor over ingredients because sometimes you just want as close to the real thing as possible!

If you love this plant based alternatives list, check out some recipes here! Subscribe here to my blog!