Following my meditations and imaginings through the ever-shifting lifescape. Creating my reality and celebrating existence. Growing every day. Stumbling along the way. Crying for all beings who suffer, but believing in the heart. Knowing all we need to do is feel, feel, feel. Everything else will come.
I love pancakes more than your average citizen. Annoyingly, I feel like I’m never around other pancake lovers. Either it’s too many carbs or they don’t like sweets or they prefer french toast or some other nonsense. So, typically I have to make pancakes-for-one (myself). Oh also, I love chocolate hence the chocolate chips, but leave them out if you wish. When you get the pancake craving, these vegan single-serve chocolate chip pancakes will do the trick!
Vegan Single-Serve Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Vegan pancakes for one? No problem! These delicious, fluffy pancakes have the perfect golden buttery finish and are loaded with melty chocolate chips. Eating breakfast solo has never tasted so good.
Ingredients
1/3 cup nondairy milk
1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut sugar, or other sugar (optional)
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Tiny pinch of baking soda
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Vegan butter, for pan
METHOD
In a medium bowl, mix the milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and sugar. Let sit for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, mix the salt, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and chocolate chips.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Let sit for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat a pan on medium-high heat.
Melt butter on the pan and pour half the pancake mixture over the melted butter. Let sit and wait for it to fluff a bit and bubbles to start forming on the upper side of the pancake.
Flip the pancake and cook through until it fluffs and is golden on both sides.
Repeat with 2nd half of the batter.
Plate and top with your favorite syrup! I used date syrup but of course, maple is classic and the ultimate.
Enjoy this recipe to the fullest my fellow pancake fanatic, and though you’re probably eating them alone, just know I’m somewhere eating these vegan single-serve chocolate chip pancakes right along with you rn. Craving more? Try these vegan chocolate chip cookies!
Vegan Half and Half is starting to become easier to find. Half and half is creamier milk with more fat content, but it doesn’t contain all that sugar that is in creamers. After trying the Silk one and falling in love with it… I noticed the Ripple half and half on the shelves so I was super curious about which is better! In this video I’ll compare Silk vs. Ripple Half and Half so you can see the differences for yourself before you purchase.
Silk vs. Ripple Half and Half Verdict
Overall, I like Silk Half and Half more because I find it creamier. However, both are really really good options! Ripple was even better than expected. Here are some specifics from my comparison:
Lightness: Ripple seems to lighten the coffee slightly more in terms of color than Silk. Silk still lightens it a lot but surprisingly Ripple lightened it even more.
Creaminess: Silk definitely has a creamier mouth feel than Ripple, but Ripple still does elevate the coffee nicely.
Flavor: Again silk has more of a creamy and I’d say almost very very lightly buttery flavor that marries with the coffee beautifully. Ripple doesn’t have much of a strong flavor but it gives just a distant tinge of sweetness which is nice.
Calories: Silk half and half has 15 calories per Tablespoon and Ripple half and half has 17.5 calories per Tablespoon.
Sugar: Silk half and half contains 0 g of sugar and Ripple half and half contains less than 1 gram of sugar.
Nothing says spring like pesto — the burst of fresh basil awakens the mind and stimulates the senses. This vegan pesto recipe uses walnuts instead of pine nuts. There are a couple of reasons for this. 1. Walnuts are what I happened to have in my cabinet. 2. Pine nuts are mad expensive and this was not for a special occasion 3. Walnuts have tons of nutrients the body needs (omegas, b6, vitamin e, etc). and 4. You don’t always have to play by the rules! Cooking is often about tradition, but it’s also very much about spontaneity and convenience.
Pesto is traditionally not vegan because it has parmigiano reggiano cheese mixed into it. For this reason, it’s very hard to find vegan at the supermarket or out at a restaurant. Luckily, if you have a food processor it’s super easy to make pesto at home, and more delicious too. Plus, there are no cows tortured to make your vegan pesto sauce, which is a huge bonus in my book.
Vegan pesto without nutritional yeast
Another variation is that this vegan pesto recipe does not have nutritional yeast. I love it with nutritional yeast but, in the name of convenience, I only had vegan parmesan on hand so that’s what I used this time. This worked out wonderfully because the original nonvegan pesto uses parmigiano reggiano. I realize some people try to avoid nutritional yeast so this recipe is a great option for you.
HOWEVER, to be honest I think it’s even better with nutritional yeast than vegan parmesan. It lends more of a cheesy flavor and marries perfectly with whatever nut you are using. For this reason, I will be putting a note about switching parmesan for nutritional yeast.
Pesto Without a Food Processor
I assume every person on the planet has a food processor because it’s my favorite kitchen appliance in existence. However, I’m shocked by how many people don’t. Many times I plan to make this at a family member’s home or AirBNB or close friend’s house and realize they don’t have a food processor! So there have been countless times I’ve had to make pesto without a food processor.
Actually, not using a food processor is the way that the old Italian grandmas used to make it once upon a time. Food processors didn’t always exist, so sometimes I really enjoy making pesto with a good sharp knife and mad chiffonade skills. It connects me to the ancestor spirits.
To make pesto without a food processor, all you need is time, patience and a super sharp knife. Here’s the method:
Get a good, large, very sharp knife like a mezzaluna knife or similar.
Chop very fine the garlic and a portion of the basil leaves. As you chop, continue to add the basil leaves until all are finely chopped. about 5 minutes.
Next, add half of your walnuts and chop. Then add the rest of the walnuts and chop until all it incorporated and tiny. The whole chopping process will take about 15-20 minutes.
Now, transfer the basil, garlic and walnuts to a bowl, add parmesan and olive oil, and mix to incorporate.
Vegan Pesto Recipe with Walnuts and Basil
Ingredients
4oz (114 g) Basil, rinsed and removed from stalk
1/4 cup walnuts (I used raw but roasted is fine)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp vegan parmesan (I used Follow Your Heart brand)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Method
Add all ingredients to a food processor
Process until smooth and combined. Do not over process or it can bruise the basil and create a bitter flavor.
Serving
There are countless ways to use pesto, here are some ideas:
Use as sauce for 10 oz of your favorite pasta with veggies. For this, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and mix in when adding the pesto to your cooked pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve as appetizer dipping sauce for veggie meatballs with toothpicks
Use on toasted Italian bread to make a pesto bruschetta topped with some chopped tomato
Subbing nutritional yeast. You can sub nutritional yeast by putting 4 tbsp of nutritional yeast rather than vegan parmesan.
Adding water. To make it more smooth, light and creamy, add 3 tbsp of water
Calories in Vegan Pesto
This vegan pesto recipe contains 786 calories in total. It can serve 6-8 people, making each serving 98-131 calories per serving. Most of the calories come from olive oil, so if you are looking to cut calories, feel free to cut the amount of olive oil in half and sub with water.
Can you Freeze Vegan Pesto?
Yes, you can freeze vegan pesto. To freeze, place in an air-tight container and cover with a thin layer of olive oil before covering. This will minimize the browning of the pesto. It can be stored for up to 6 months. This is actually a great idea, especially if you have an herb garden with tons of basil that would otherwise go to waste.
To thaw and use pesto after freezing, simply defrost in the fridge overnight and mix with fork to smooth. Or you can use defrost setting on your microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until ready. After thawing, be sure to use within 5 days (do not re-freeze).
What’s your favorite way to use vegan pesto? Share your thoughts and enjoy this spring favorite!
Easter is just around the corner, which means 2 things: bunnies and chocolate (oh, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ). I’ve been lucky enough to try lots of vegan Easter candy, so I wanted to share the list of my very favorite chocolates for this colorful occasion. I recently bought a ton of Sjaak’s Easter chocolate this year at ION Natural Market in Connecticut when visiting my sister. It’s sooo good! Thanks for stocking up, ION!
Spring goes hand-in-hand with chocolate eggs, peanut butter eggs, hollow and solid bunnies, and more vegan Easter candy wonders. Here are the best cruelty-free, non-dairy chocolates for Easter for you and your loved ones (kid-approved):
Sjaak’s
Sjaak’s has been making high-quality organic, vegan chocolate since 2004. They have chocolates for all occasions, including their extensive easter chocolate selections. For Easter, Sjaak’s sells:
Melk® Chocolate Bunny Filled with Gummy Bears
“Paleo Bunny” Coconut Milk Chocolate Bunny
Chunky Peanut Butter Filled Dark Chocolate Eggs
Caramel Filled Melk® Chocolate Eggs
Vegan Egg PB Filled with Bunny Bites
Peanut Butter Crunch Egg
White Chocolate “Bunny Pop” on Coconut Milk Chocolate Egg
Coconut Lime with Coconut Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny Bite
Cinnamon Churro with White Chocolate Easter Bunny Bite
No Whey’s vegan easter confections are soo indulgent, and all their products are 100 percent milk-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, gluten-free, egg-free and soy-free. Here are their Easter candy options:
Lagusta’s Luscious is based in New York so I would visit them in New Paltz whenever I was heading upstate and their shop is a-ma-zing. This fine vegan chocolatier has a unique and impressive selection of absolutely scrumptious vegan Easter chocolate:
Rose City Chocolatier sells vegan, belgian artisan chocolates. They have lots of wonderful Easter options from bunnies to eggs to truffle sets. Here’s their fine chocolate delights:
Though not a fully vegan company, Lake Champlain has a nice selection of vegan chocolate for easter. This Vermont-based chocolate shop sells the follow for Easter (all organic and kosher):
Moo Free hails from across the pond in England, and offer up a yummy selection of dairy-free chocolates for all occasions, including Easter. Here’s what they’ve got:
Get your vegan Easter candy fix by browsing the options at these chocolate company’s websites or if you’re lucky you’ll find some in stock at your local natural market. Be sure to order soon to get them in time for Easter, and order in advance each year so you get your favorites before they sell out.
What’s your favorite vegan Easter chocolate? Be sure to share in the comments and Happy Easter to all!
Why in the world did I become veggan — a vegan who eats eggs — after 16 years of being vegan? First, I turned vegan for ethical reasons in 2004, when I was just 14 years old. I couldn’t bear the thought of contributing to animal suffering, and so I gave up all animal products. For 16 wonderful years, I indulged fully in the vegan diet trying all the vegan ice creams, cheeses, mock meats, chocolates and baked goods in existence. There wasn’t a vegan restaurant in New York that I hadn’t tried (Peacefood Cafe is my fav, btw). However, dealing with various health issues that affected my quality of life, I made the difficult decision to become veggan in 2020.
Why veggan?
The reason I became veggan was due to health reasons. First off, I want to say I believe it is absolutely possible to be 100 percent healthy on a vegan diet, and I am so happy for those who are. However, every body is different! We need to recognize this. For me, being 100 percent vegan meant that the whites of my eyes weren’t white, my hair was losing volume and I was chronically fatigued. I couldn’t make it through a day without feeling absolutely exhausted.
And I was not a “junk-food vegan” — I always ate tons of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, quinoa, beans, legumes, seeds, whole proteins like seitan and tofu, healthy oils like olive and coconut, and superfood powders like spirulina, maca, hemp and more. That’s not to say I didn’t gobble up vegan donuts and fried chik’n every now and again, but my every day diet was clean, healthy, colorful and balanced.
Supplements
Vegans might be thinking, well what about supplements? Trust me, I tried! 16 years is a very significant amount of time to experiment with supplements. I got my blood tests and saw my nutrient levels, and was low in iron, D and B vitamins. I tried many different brands of B12, D3, chia and flax oil, iron, biotin, zinc, and multis at the recommended doses in the recommended ratios for years at a time to no avail. It helped but it certainly was not eliminating my issues. I will say Garden of Life has my favorite B12 and D3 (which I still take). But, it was very frustrating to try and spend all this time and money with minimal results. I was getting very upset and, though I didn’t want to believe it, I knew I needed to take another step.
How I took the leap to veggan
It wasn’t until 2016, 12 years of veganism, that I started to debate adding eggs to my diet. When I did research about foods for hair health and energy, eggs kept coming at the top. It made sense, since what I lacked (biotin, protein, B12, D and more) eggs contained in significant quantities in a super bioavailable form. However, I was stubborn and absolutely hated the thoughts of adding eggs to my diet.
For 4 years, I kept going back and forth in my mind about whether or not to add eggs. Sometimes I’d think to myself, “Gina, just STFU and deal with it and continue being vegan.” And other times I’d think “but you’re physical and emotional wellness, G! Eat eggs!” I thought I was being superficial and petty by adding eggs just because of feeling tired and not looking the way I wanted. But, it was starting to affect my mood and quality of life.
Ultimately, I decided my health and happiness matters and in 2020 found a brand of local, humane, pasture-raised eggs, hard boiled them, said a prayer of acknowledgment and gratitude and ate two. Though I cried hysterically the first several times eating eggs, I knew I was making the right decision. And now I can say I’m rarely tired, the whites of my eyes are white as can be, and my hair has regained its strength and volume.
How I maintain ethical standards as a veggan
Choosing eggs. The number one thing I make sure of when choosing eggs is that they are humanely-sourced. I eat only pasture-raised eggs (108 sq feet of pasture per bird) that have either a Certified Humane of American Humane Certified label. Plus, I prefer organic and non-GMO where possible as well. I also trust the Certified Humane label more than the American Humane Certified so I opt for those wherever possible. There are many pasture-raised egg brands I trust, and I always opt for ones that are local when possible. I also contact/call the farm when in doubt. I avoid caged (conventional), cage-free and free range as they do not meet my ethical criteria. That being said, I do know there are some trustworthy free range brands out there but be sure to do your research.
Consuming eggs. When it comes to consuming eggs, I make them only at home (so I know that they are humane eggs), and only in whole form. I primarily eat them hard-boiled tho occasionally consume in other ways (like veggan omelets and scrambles). Because I eat eggs for health reasons only, I do not use eggs in any baked goods or for binding. It is extremely easy to bake vegan so in my opinion there is no excuse to use eggs for baking — I consider that to fall under overconsumption and unnecessary consumption. I eat only the amount I need for health reasons, which is 1-2 every day or every other day.
Takeaway
As I mentioned, everyone is different. Some people can be totally healthy as a vegan and others can’t. However, this is not an excuse to mindlessly eat animal products. Eat only what you need at the frequency and in the portions appropriate for your body. Overconsumption is the real tragedy of this society, so we want to steer clear of that in all areas of our diet and life.
It was a very difficult and emotional decision for me to add eggs. But I had to honor my body. I still sometimes hate myself and feel like a bad person for eating eggs, but I know I do so as mindfully and humanely possible. And my body so needs and appreciates every last pasture-raised, humane-certified egg I consume. You need to ask yourself, what is the very least amount of harm I can do to the animals and the planet, while providing the most health benefit to myself?
Being an ethical veggan was an amazing solution for my health challenges with veganism. For you, the solution may be different. But I thought it was important to share my story. Be mindful, know your body, and eat as humanely as possible considering both your health and the wellbeing of all sentient beings.
I’ve adapted this vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe from a regular tollhouse cookie recipe that makes the most delicious vegan cookies you can imagine. A little soft, a little chewy and bursts of chocolate with every bite. You can even get that crunchy finish if you leave them in the oven a bit longer. I personally like them a bit undercooked and gooey 🙂
Nothing is more satisfying than a good cookie, and infinitely better if no animals were harmed in the making. You know the best part? Vegan chocolate chip cookie dough is eatable! No eggs means no salmonella. Yayyy! And seriously, you don’t need the animal products, these cookies are legit identical to regular choco chip cookies. Vegans and non-vegans alike should make cookies without animal products.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These vegan chocolate chip cookies are every bit as delicious as regular chocolate chip cookies. They are actually exactly like tollhouse cookies and perfect to make as a treat for your loved ones or bring as dessert to special occasions. These egg-free, dairy-free chocolate chip cookies are winners everywhere I’ve brought them.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 20 large cookies
Materials Needed
1 medium and 1 large mixing bowl
2 cookie sheets
Ingredients
I always recommend non-GMO, organic ingredients wherever possible. Bonus points for locally-sourced <3
2 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) vegan butter softened (I use Earth Balance sticks)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons of original apple sauce
2 cups (12-ounces) vegan chocolate chips
METHOD
Preheat oven to 375ÂşF
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside
In a large mixing bowl, mix the softened vegan butter, both sugars, vanilla, and apple sauce. Stir for a minute or two to really combine and bring the flavors together
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet sugar mixture until a nice dough is created. I usually start with a spoon and switch to my hands when the dough starts coming together
Add in the chocolate chips and mix to distribute evenly into the dough
Grab chunks of the cookie dough and make them into balls with your palms to make 20 cookies. You can also make 50 cookies from this same recipe by using a rounded tablespoons. But, I prefer larger cookies.
Bake for about 10 minutes. For soft, gooey cookies take out at 8 minutes, for crispy cookies take out at 12 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve with your favorite non-dairy milk!
I paired my cookies with a tall cup of Oatly oatmilk. Oatmilk is seriously my favorite now. I hope you enjoyed these delectable vegan chocolate chip cookies. Be sure to share your experiences baking these circles of wonder in the comments!
I was so excited that Peet’s launched a fully plant-based breakfast sandwich. Peet’s vegan breakfast sandwich consists of an everything bagel thin, a slice of vegan cheddar cheese, Beyond sausage and Just Egg. I drove over to the Peet’s Coffee location in Solana Beach, California on a cloudy day to try this vegan delight.
Peet’s Vegan Breakfast Sandwich from Peet’s Coffee in Solana Beach, California
To start, the Peet’s plant-based breakfast sandwich was even better than I thought. Of course it’s not like a big ooey gooey egg, cheese and sausage from your corner deli, but as far an on-the-go breakfast sandwiches it’s right in line with other fast food breakfast sandwiches as far as I can remember (Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, etc). I haven’t had a convenient breakfast sandwich in over 16 years so I’m super grateful to Peet’s for stepping up to the [vegan] plate when all the other places have not.
Peet’s Vegan Breakfast Sandwich Review
The overall sandwich was more flavorful and juicy than I expected. Let me break it down by ingredient:
The bread. To start, the sandwich bread is a flavorsome, lightly toasted everything bagel thin with sesame and poppy seeds. A lot of times bagel thins can be quite bland but this one was not — it lent itself perfectly to the sandwich.
The vegan cheese. The non-dairy cheddar worked perfectly in this sandwich. It is just one slice but when melted one slice goes a long way. The cheese was melted beautifully over the sausage and pulled the sandwich together making it ooey gooey (and combatting any potential dryness). We all know cheese takes anything to the next level, and this sandwich is no exception.
The Beyond sausage. Their preparation of Beyond breakfast sausage was great. They don’t dry it out at all, they retain its juiciness so it gives a very scrumptious, satiating feeling to the whole sandwich. And of course, the flavors in the Beyond sausage are on point — there is such an explosion of savory flavor.
The Just Egg. Just Egg is very impressive. This plant-based egg, made with mung beans, is not too flavorful, but gives a nice fluffy eggy consistency to compliment the flavorful sausage and cheese. It brings all the right textures that you would expect in a breakfast sandwich.
In conclusion, each element of Peet’s vegan breakfast sandwich works perfectly together to provide a satisfying on-the-go option for vegans and anyone looking to reduce their impact on the planet. It is currently priced at $5.95 and I paired mine with a creamy oat milk vanilla latte. Thank you Peet’s for adding this option to your menu!
Find a Peet’s Coffee location near you.Have you tried Peet’s vegan breakfast sandwich? Be sure to share your thoughts in the reviews.
This vegan white pizza recipe is really, really, really good. I have been making pizza with my mom, dad and sister since I was 3 years old. I remember getting that round of dough from the corner pizzeria on Long Island, NY and loading it with globs of ricotta then topping it with fresh mozzarella from Uncle Giuseppe’s and our favorite toppings.
When I became vegan in 2004, did I have to give up white pizza? Of course not. I’m New York Italian — no way I’m giving up pizza. I just made it vegan! With the best, easiest and cheapest tofu ricotta, the finest dough of the land, vegan mozzarella of your choice and toppingzzz! In this case, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach FTW.
This recipe is very easy and definitely a crowd-pleaser. The trickiest part for me is working with the dough. Luckily my boo has a couple years of assistant pizza chef under his belt so he is a dough master. Thanks to him, my pizzas now look like circles and not like “guess the country” shapes. But if you don’t have these skills, luckily the mystery shapes still taste just as good as the circles, so shine on, you crazy diamond!
What is vegan white pizza sauce?
Vegan white pizza is essentially pizza that uses a vegan ricotta instead of tomato sauce. So vegan white pizza sauce is actually just a vegan ricotta. On top of the non-dairy ricotta, you simply put some vegan mozzarella and your favorite toppings. My vegan ricotta is made from simple, affordable ingredients like tofu, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper and optional fresh basil.
Actually, my tofu ricotta is kinda famous in my house and my (non-vegan) family comes lurking with spoons when they know I’m making it. I have to shoo them away or else there will be none left for the pizza! I also use the ricotta for my baked ziti, lasagna, eggplant rollatini, manicotti and more.
Facciamo la pizza!
(Let’s make pizza!)
Vegan White Pizza Recipe: With Tofu Ricotta (No Cashews)
White pizza is my favorite!! Though I love tomato sauce, there is something so indulgent and comforting about a white pizza loaded with homemade vegan ricotta and my fave toppings. This is the perfect recipe for a Friday pizza night. But whatever day of the week, vegan white pizza rules.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15-17 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
I always recommend non-GMO, organic ingredients wherever possible. Bonus points for locally-sourced <3
Materials needed:
Perforated circular pizza pan (non-perforated also works fine).
Food processor. This is pretty essential for the ricotta. I have processed it with my hands in an emergency situation before but it’s not nearly as creamy. Food processor is an excellent investment for vegan ricotta, hummus, pesto — so many things!
For the dough:
A “round of dough” from your local pizzeria. You can also find fresh-made whole wheat and regular dough at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.
Flour, for your work surface and working with the dough
Olive oil, for greasing your pizza pan.
For the ricotta:
1 pack (1 lb) firm tofu
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt (or more to taste)
.5 teaspoon black pepper
.5 teaspoon garlic powder
handful fresh basil (optional, but recommended for basil lovers)
For the toppings:
Your favorite vegan mozzarella. My favorite used to be Daiya, but for pizza now I gravitate more toward Follow your Heart shreds or Miyoko’s Fresh Mozzarella.
Place pizza on center rack in your preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden and desired level of crispy. I like to take a spatula and peak at the bottom of the crust to see the color
Serve.
Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into 8 slices. Serve, top with vegan parmesan, oregano, crushed red pepper or any other finishing touches.
Enjoy!
I topped my slice with Follow your Heart Parmesan and paired it with Dark Morello Cherry & Pomegranate Pellegrino. Perfection!
I hope you found this vegan white pizza recipe useful! Please be sure to share your results or any questions in the comments 🙂
Soft-boiled eggs have soft yet firm whites and jelly-like yolks. For so long, I tried time and time again but always ended up overcooking them so the yolk is a hard, chalky consistency. Or other times undercooking them so it’s a liquid mess (including the whites — gross!). If you want to avoid those 2 scenarios, it’s essential to know the perfect timing and how many minutes are ideal to make a soft-boiled egg.
So how many minutes to make a soft-boiled egg? After much trial and error, I’ve found that the perfect duration to cook a soft-boiled egg is 6 minutes and 30 seconds on a low boil. Make sure to not overcrowd the pot — each egg should have a place on the bottom. Also, be sure to use humane-certified, pasture-raised eggs to ensure there wasn’t animal suffering involved in your soft-boiled eggs.
How to Make a Soft-Boiled Eggs
Bring water and half teaspoon salt to a low boil. It is very important that it is a light boil with small bubbles and not a roaring boil. We’re makin’ eggs here not pasta. Also, salt makes the eggs easier to peel.
Carefully add your eggs in the water with tongs. Don’t overcrowd the pot, eggs should be fully submerged. Be sure to use tongs, otherwise you’ll either burn yourself on the water, or drop them from too high up and they’ll crack.
Set a timer to 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Trust me, a timer is the only way you’ll really remember to take them out at the right time. Your powers of estimation may be good, but not soft-boiled egg good.
Remove the eggs from heat. Once the timer goes off, remove them immediately from the water with tongs. If eating right away, be sure to rinse them in cold water so you don’t burn your fingers.
Enjoy your soft-boiled eggs on their own or dash with some salt and pepper!
My soft-boiled egg. Look at that beautiful orange yolk! These are Carol’s Pasture Raised Eggs, which I found at Trader Joe’s.
I love this menemen recipe!! Menemen is a Turkish egg dish that combines sweet frying peppers, tomatoes and, of course, eggs. My fiance Mehmet is Turkish and menemen is actually the first thing he ever made for me. This recipe is pretty simple and straightforward in terms of ingredients, so it is important to find quality ingredients like organic, pasture-raised, humane-certified eggs; ripe, juicy organic tomatoes; and organic, sweet frying peppers.
The peppers
The exact Turkish sweet peppers (çarliston pepper) can be tricky to find in the US, so we used Italian sweet peppers (Cubanelle), which he said are practically the same. When we can’t find those (often the case), we use bell peppers or poblano peppers, which he said are an okay substitute. Bell pepper tastes fine to me but I definitely notice a better texture and flavor when we use the Italian sweet peppers.
Menemen Recipe: Turkish Eggs with Tomato and Sweet Pepper
Menemen is a breakfast that will give you the energy and strength you need to start your day. The pasture-raised eggs, tomatoes and sweet peppers work in perfect harmony in this simple, one-pan meal.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
3 Italian sweet peppers (Cubanelle), diced; or you can substitute green bell pepper or poblano here as well
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups diced tomatoes with juices, we used 3 beefsteak tomatoes1
2 tbsp vegan butter (we use Earth Balance)2
6 pasture-raised eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Chopped green onion to garnish (optional)
Method
Preheat a medium pan on medium-high heat.
Add diced pepper (without oil at first for a slightly roasted taste). Roast for 5 minutes.
Add the butter, salt, pepper, and tomato with their juices and saute until soft and hot, about 10 minutes.3
Now, crack eggs over the tomato and let them simmer for about 2 minutes.
Then, use a spoon to break the yolks and very lightly scramble them. You do not want to fully incorporate them as you normally would when you scramble eggs, only swirl them around a bit.
Cook until just barely set, about 4 minutes. You can move the egg whites around a bit to help them cook. If you prefer yolks more set, you can move those around too and even extend cooking time.4
Garnish with green onion if you wish and serve in the pan5
Notes
1You can used canned chopped tomatoes as well.
2Since we are veggan (vegan + eggs), we do NOT use dairy products of any kind. For this reason, we do not use real butter (contains milk). Earth balance is very easy to find in just about any major grocery store in the US.
3You can cut these times by half if you’re in a crunch, but often with cooking patience pays off in having deeper flavor and juicier consistency.
4An old trick for eggs in any dish is “if the eggs look done in the pan they are overcooked.” This always stayed with me, and it’s so true.
5Traditionally this dish is eaten directly out of the pan or spooned onto each plate directly from the pan at the table. It’s a sort of communal dish, perfect with Turkish bagels to sop up some of the extra juices.
