November marks World Vegan Month. It’s a time to celebrate plant-based living and embrace the values of compassion and kindness towards animals and our environment. Nearly three decades ago, our founder, Jenefer chose to formulate our skincare using vegan and cruelty-free ingredients, to align with her holistic principles and lifestyle. Today, all of our products are certified vegan by PETA and cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny International.
Eating more plants doesn’t just benefit animals and the environment; it’s also one of the tastiest ways to diversify your diet. In addition to crafting clean, clinically proven vegan skincare, our founder is passionate about creating delicious plant-based recipes for her family and our community. We asked her to share some of her top picks, perfect for both vegans and those looking to explore the world of plant-based cuisine.
Breakfast
Jenefer’s Famous Homemade Granola
“Gluten-free and loaded with nutritious almonds and seeds. Enjoy with plant-based yogurt, fruit, or just by the spoonful!” –Jenefer Palmer
What you’ll need:
- 8 oz slivered almonds
- 4 oz hemp seeds
- 8 oz sunflower seeds
- 8 oz pumpkin seeds
- 32 oz gluten-free rolled oats
- 8 oz raisins
- 8 oz maple syrup
- 1⁄2 cup of coconut oil
“Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the seeds and oats (everything but the almonds) together in a big bowl. Add in the maple syrup + coconut oil and stir everything together. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place into your pre-heated oven and set a timer for 1 hour total baking time.
Halfway through (30 minutes in) take out the baking sheet from the oven. Stir the granola while adding in the slivered almonds, making sure that everything is baked and browned evenly. After another 30 minutes (1 hour total baking time), take out the granola from the oven. Stir in the raisins.”
Lunch + Dinner
Best-Ever Lentils
“Serve with roasted vegetables or baked squash for a hearty, well-rounded meal.” –Jenefer Palmer
What you’ll need:
- 1 cup red split lentils
- 2 large white onions
- 2 3/4 cup vegetable broth (or more if you desire more "soupy" lentils)
- 1/4 cup vermouth or white wine
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
- 4 tbsp olive oil
“Slice onions into a thin consistent size. Add olive oil to a large skillet, add onions and then begin to slowly brown them. The goal is to caramelize the onions and the slower you cook them, the sweet they become. It can take up a few hours.
In a medium to large pot, add lentils, broth, vermouth and caramelized onions. Cover and cook on low, stir occasionally. Cooking time is about an hour - the longer you cook it, the softer the lentils become and the onions literally melt into the lentils!”
Curry Cauliflower
What you’ll need:
- 1 head of organic cauliflower
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Curry seasoning to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
- Salt to taste
- Optional: toasted almonds
“Break apart cauliflower florets into small pieces and chop up the stems. It's important that everything is similar in size. Toss cauliflower in a bowl with olive oil and then begin to add the curry powder. Add enough curry powder to turn the cauliflower at least a light shade of yellow.
Spread out on a cookie sheet, salt to taste and then roast in the oven at 350 degrees. After 20-25 minutes, the cauliflower should start to turn golden in color. Remove from the oven, stir and put back in. Cauliflower will cook up to an hour depending on how golden brown you like it.
Sprinkle parsley or cilantro on top before serving. Also nice with freshly toasted almond slivers.”