Vegan Appetizers,
Snacks and Side Dishes

These yummy vegan appetizers and side-dishes are terrific compliments to any vegan meal. And you can try one of these tasty vegan snacks to curb your hunger and stay on track with your vegan diet!

Brown Rice Cakes with Hummus

This tasty treat can serve as a vegan appetizer or as a small meal. Two of these are great for a quick lunch!

You'll need:
2 organic brown rice cakes(Use the 35 or 40 calorie kind - available in most regular supermarkets)
2 tbsp organic hummus (You can make your own, or if you use store-bought, I would recommend Yorgos)
1/4 avocado, cut into small chunks for each rice cake

Spread 1 tbsp hummus on each rice cake and top with avocado chunks. Serve with sliced tomatoes or a tomato and avocado salad.

A nice substitute for hummus is hemp seed butter which gives this dish a mildly nutty flavor - delicious!

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Paul's Guacamole

One of the tastiest vegan appetizers - This is my husband's recipe. He makes it several times a week - truly yummy!

You'll need:
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt to taste
1 heaping tbsp organic salsa (I recommend Whole Foods' 365 brand)

With a fork, mash the avocado in a bowl. Mix in the onion powder, salt and salsa. You can use this guacamole with the Vegan Bean Tacos or enjoy with some organic corn tortillas. Enjoy!

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Vegan Greenbeans Almondine
Serves 4

This is a delicious alternative to the butter-laden greenbeans we grew up with! The measurements are for 4 servings of greenbeans, but you can easily adjust for the amount you need.

You'll need:
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
4 cups of greenbeans, rinsed, ends clipped

In the oven or toaster-oven, toast the almonds for about 5 minutes until they start to turn a golden color. Steam the greenbeans until they are tender, but still crisp. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil. lemon, salt and toasted almonds. Pour mixture over greenbeans and mix thoroughly. This is a great side dish for many vegan meals!

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Sautéed Spinach with Pine Nuts

This is a classic sauteed spinach recipe. The pine nuts add a lovely flavor and texture as well as making the dish more appealing to the eye. Loaded with great nutrition, especially good fats, a little goes a long way!

You'll need:
2 cups baby spinach, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1 tbsp basil
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/8 cup water

In a medium sauce pan, sauté the garlic, basil and pine nuts in the olive oil over medium heat, until the garlic starts to sizzle (3-4 minutes). Add the spinach and the water, cover, and steam for 1-2 minutes. This dish goes very well with Butternut Squash Ravioli or Red Lentil Pilaf.

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