I pretty much came up with this recipe because I had a few leftover artichoke hearts that I needed to use. I didn’t have enough to make a big recipe like Spinach Artichoke Lasagna, but I had enough that I wanted to put them to good use.
Plus I needed an excuse to eat more of this tahini dip. Dip > whatever I’m dipping. 
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We have entered into the season of parties. Office parties, family gatherings, downtown bashes. Everywhere you look there seems to be another party celebrating the season.
And I love it. 
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Happy 4th of July! I thought it would be a good idea to give you some BBQ recipes so that you can enjoy some delicious food on our day of independence! 
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Tomorrow is the big day and instead of my usual DIY Wednesday post, I thought I would do a round-up of some of my recipes that would make a good last minute dish.
These meals are fairly simple to put together and they are sure to please everyone at the table. Which is no easy feat with a big crowd!
Appetizers
Start everyone off with some veggies and dip. This hummus is my favorite and while it does take a few extra steps, it tastes so much better than store bought. You can also make it a few days in advance so you don’t have to worry about it the day of.
Soup is a really good first course and this carrot fennel soup could not be easier to make. The slow cooker does all of the work and all you have to do is puree it right before you serve it. Again, you could make today and then just heat it up right before it’s time to eat.
Sides
Try this healthy twist on cornbread and I bet people will like them just as much. Also, other than the flax seed, most of these ingredients are things that you might already have on hand.
This is my all-time favorite side dish for Thanksgiving. My mom makes an awesome cranberry relish, and I discovered the awesomeness that is spicy cranberry sauce last year. This comes together really fast and can be made right before serving.
Mains
I have been making a butternut squash version of these for the past few weeks and they would be a fun addition to your table. They are great for vegans and gluten-free folks who might have a harder time finding something to eat. You can prep these today and pop them in the freezer. Then you can just pull them out and cook them in boiling water when you’re ready to serve them!
Another vegan/gluten-free main dish that you could make today and then serve tomorrow. It is a little labor intensive, but if you have a lot of hands on deck to help, you can pull these together in time for the big dinner tomorrow.
Desserts
Like brownies but with pumpkin. Plus a simple frosting? Big win in my book.
I love a good oatmeal cookie and the pumpkin in these make them really moist and delicious. They also make a great breakfast the next morning…
Over On Girlish
I also write recipes for Girlish and I have a few tasty Thanksgiving dishes over there that you should check out!
If you have guests that are going to be there in the morning, this coffee cake is great to have on hand. It tastes like it’s bad for you, but it actually has some really healthy ingredients
I am going to be bringing this to the two Thanksgiving’s that I am going to this year. It comes together fast, good for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free folks, and tastes like Thanksgiving all in one meal.
Hopefully you aren’t stressing too much about your feast and you can find a few recipes here that you and your family will enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving friends!
I don’t know about where you live, but today we are enjoying some GORGEOUS weather! The sun is shining, it’s warm, there is a light breeze, and I am one happy camper. I am going to try and soak in as much as possible because living in Chicago on the lakefront you never know when the weather will turn.
Today’s recipe was kind of a spur of the moment idea. I was trying to think of something different to do with my chickpea tofu and somehow pizza popped into my head. It was easy to put together and makes a really great snack or appetizer. I made some with regular cheese for Adam and used nutritional yeast for mine. We devoured these as we watched the season premier of Game of Thrones. Because I was still housesitting at that point, we were able to watch on a big screen with surround sound and it was amazing. It was also the first time that we were able to watch the season premier on the actual day that it premiered. It was quite the night and these little bites made it even better.
So put some of these for your next get together or make some for your next movie/netflix binge. You won’t be sorry!
Chickpea Pizza Bites
1. Preheat oven to 375. Make the chickpea tofu and pour it into a bread loaf pan to set.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Once the tofu has completely cooled, remove from pan and cut into bite size pieces. Place on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. In a small bowl mix together the tomato sauce, pizza seasonings, and salt. Taste to see if you need to adjust the flavor.
4. Remove the tofu from the oven and top each slice with tomato sauce and either a sprinkle of cheese or nutritional yeast. Put the pan back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
If you have any extra tomato sauce you can use that to dunk your bites into! I’m working on making some more snack/appetizer type foods that are simple to put together, taste delicious, and are of course healthy! Are there any of your favorite appetizers or snacks that you would like to see made healthier?
Oh and quick sidenote I have started a Facebook page, Life Healthfully Lived. You can find all my posts, pictures that I take, and other articles/recipes that I find and think you would enjoy. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out and click like. If I get to 100 likes by the end of the month, two of my followers will win a $10 gift card of their choice!
Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekend everyone!
Life Healthfully Lived 