Shreya’s Culinary Compass

Hazelnut Chocolate Instant Oatmeal This is a quick and tasty recipe that combines breakfast with dessert. Ingredients: 1 packet instant oatmeal Hot water to cook the oatmeal 1 packet chocolate almond hazelnut butter 3 tbsp chocolate chips 1 banana 5 strawberries Maple syrup or coconut sugar to sweeten ¼ tsp vanilla extract Instructions Add the instant oatmeal to a bowl and add boiling water according to the instructions on the oatmeal packet. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir and add more hot water if needed. Add the vanilla extract, maple syrup (or coconut sugar), and chocolate chips to the oatmeal. Thinly slice a banana and finely chop the strawberries. Add the fruits and hazelnut butter to the oatmeal. Stir and enjoy! ...

Namkeen is a popular type of snack eaten in India. One type of namkeen, called murmura or purmul is made from spiced and roasted puffed rice and nuts. My recipe is inspired from purmul but makes it without rice by using puffed millet and takes out the nuts and uses seeds instead, making it very allergy-friendly.  Ingredients: ½ tbsp coconut oil 2 cups puffed millet 7-8 curry leaves ½ tbsp rai...

For many people, the main struggle in becoming vegan is letting go of dairy products. Cheese, milk, butter, and cream are often staples in people’s favorite foods, and it can seem like vegans are deprived of those foods. However, there are many ways to use nuts and seeds to create vegan alternatives to dairy products. Here are some quick recipes to make your dishes more decadent and delicious! ...

With summer upon us, this cold, creamy, and fruity chia pudding is the perfect way to cool down.   Ingredients: 1 can of full-fat coconut milk ¼ cup chia seeds Water (to thin down to desired consistency) Maple Syrup (to taste) 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 - 2 cups of fruit (sliced bananas, diced mangoes, chopped strawberries, etc.) Instructions: Combine all ingredie...

This is the perfect cake for celebrating special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. Decorated with strawberries and vegan marshmallows, it looks beautiful and is rich in flavor but it is very simple to prepare.  Ingredients: Cake: Wet Ingredients:  ⅓ + ⅙ cup water ⅙ cup melted coconut oil 1 tbsp vanilla extract 2 ripe bananas Dry Ingredients: Simple Mi...

Food is celebration, and celebration is food. Our most cherished memories around food are often those we share with loved ones. Sharing food is a great way to share our talents and cultures with one another. To celebrate the start of spring and our coming graduation, my friends and I decided to have a picnic over spring break. The picnic was really fun, and it gave us a chance to experience each ...

Eating out is a special part of social life, from meeting old friends to attending important events. These are my top five places to enjoy meals and dessert in the DFW area.    True Food Kitchen: My favorite meals from there are the Korean noodles and the vegan and gluten free butternut squash pizza. True Food’s vegan ricotta is also really tasty. All of their menu items have allergens lis...

Inspired by the rich flavors of chocolate and almonds, these muffins are the perfect treat. I baked these muffins for a special friend’s birthday, and hope that you get the chance to bake them to enjoy with friends and family! Ingredients: Wet Ingredients:  ⅓ + ⅙ cup water ⅙ cup melted coconut oil 1 tbsp vanilla extract 2 ripe bananas Dry Ingredients: Simple Mills Chocolate Ca...

Focusing on all the small details of cooking helps me enjoy cooking even more, along with giving me a chance to slow down amidst the noise of everyday life.  The first thing I like to do while I cook is smelling the ingredients. Whether inhaling the zesty smell of a lemon after I juice it or sniffing remaining threads of ginger on my fingers after grating it, smelling the fresh ingredients I use h...

This veggie salad is the perfect meal for the warmer days ahead. Full of crunchy carrots and juicy cucumbers, it is both fresh and nutritious. Ingredients: 1 cucumber (sliced or spiralized) 1 head lettuce (finely chopped) 1 carrot (diced) Juice of one lemon or one orange Instructions: Mix the ingredients in a large bowl  Toss with lemon juice or orange juice Enjoy! ...

Today, I’m going to take you down memory lane by sharing my most cherished moments with food. Over the years, I have discovered that food is often at the heart of my deepest connections with family and friends.  My first cherished memory with food was one I made with my grandmother. Whenever I visited her in India, she used to make a snack called “sev” (a type of noodle shaped snack made f...

This week’s recipe is my nutritious take on the classic ice cream flavor cookies and cream.  This smoothie combines the sweetness of tropical fruits with the rich taste of hazelnut butter. The hazelnut butter’s flavor and slightly coarse texture resembles that of crushed cookies, reminiscent of cookies and cream ice cream.    Ingredients: Smoothie Base: 2 bananas 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks ...

With the weather finally starting to warm up, today’s recipe is a light and refreshing tropical smoothie. This recipe is both nut-free and vegan, and it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare. Enjoy! Ingredients: Pineapple layer: 1 banana 1 cup pineapple ½ cup coconut water Dragon Fruit layer: 1 banana 1 packet of frozen pink dragonfruit (pitaya) ½ cup coconut water Instruc...

Ingredients: Smashed Potatoes 15-20 small potatoes Salt Pepper 1-3 tbsps of avocado oil Salad: 1 head of lettuce (finely chopped) 1/2 cup of roughly chopped carrots 1 cucumber (thinly sliced) Handful of cherry tomatoes (halved) Jalapeño Honey Dressing: 1 cup cashews (soaked for 2-6 hours and drained) 1 jalapeno (lightly coated in avocado oil) 1 garl...

A more veggie-centered take on tacos, this is the perfect recipe to both satisfy your taco cravings and experience new and fresh flavors.  Ingredients: Tacos: Siete Tacos (I use these) Guacamole: ¼ large red onion (finely diced) 1 garlic clove (finely minced) 2 avocados  Salt to taste Dash of black pepper The juice of ½ lime Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash:  2 orange sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed) ...

Hola amigos. Today we are going to make a delicious salsa. With the warmer weather, this salsa is the perfect fresh and cooling dip to tortilla chips. For this recipe, you will need two unexpected things: date syrup and a potato masher. But trust me, my method of making it will take your salsa from sabroso (tasty) to realmente delicioso (really delicious). Ingredients: 2 large tomatoes ½ ser...

This super simple recipe is perfect for a quick and delicious after-school snack. It is also highly customizable because you can use any tortillas and any cheese of your choice. Ingredients: 2 plantain tortillas (I use these) ⅓ - ½ cup grated vegan mozzarella cheese (I use this one) 1 tsp paprika ¾ tsp chipotle powder Sprinkle of dried basil and dried oregano Black pepper and salt to taste ½ tbsp date sugar Instruction...

Both festive and easy to make, this trail mix is the perfect gift for friends and family! Ingredients: 1 cup almonds 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup Hu chocolate gems 1 cup pecans 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds Tip: For an even richer flavor, you can stove or oven toast the nuts for 4-6 minutes or until fragrant. Instructions: Combine your ingredients in a small mason jar and shake. You c...

Now that we have established the why behind cooking, let’s get into the how. I’m going to share how to make my newest recipe, pizza-inspired pasta. I came up with it last weekend when I wanted to enjoy the flavors of pizza with the texture and ease of pasta. As a bonus, it is both nut-free and oil-free, offering you a lighter meal choice amid the more indulgent delights of the holiday season.  &nb...

In the era of freezer meals and a variety of restaurants nearby, it can be hard to see why cooking is important. However, cooking is very valuable for a variety of reasons. It gives you an amazing sense of pride. Hearing, “Wow, the ____ you made is so good!”, is probably one of the best feelings I have experienced. Cooking isn’t easy, but being able to master new dishes helps you become...

Ranging from extravagant feasts to spending time with extended family, Thanksgiving is one of our most cherished culinary holidays. With the emergence of multiculturalism in America, Thanksgiving means a variety of things to people from different cultures. Over time, it has become a celebration to appreciate other cultures and American traditions. For senior Isabel Wang, enjoying traditional Chinese food with h...

As surprising as it may seem, a box of mangoes can brighten up a person’s whole week. It all started with our monthly orchestra officer meeting. At our meeting, orchestra directors Julie Blackstock and Madison Waggerman wanted to recognize all the historians (photographers) by bringing treats for them. As someone with lots of food allergies, it’s really difficult to cater to my dietary rest...

Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil (I use coconut oil) 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 medium onion (finely chopped) 3 cloves of garlic (finely minced) ½ tsp grated ginger ½ pound of spinach Salt to taste 1.5 tbsp garam masala ½ tbsp amchur 3-4 tbsp tomato paste Soaked chickpeas(2 cups dried chickpeas soaked overnight in water) Instructions: Heat the oil in a large pan on mediu...

Chaat is a beloved food for many Indians. It is full of a variety of textures, from creamy yogurt to crispy potatoes, spicy and sweet chutneys, and savory chickpeas. While many versions of chaat have wheat or dairy, this one is made with allergy-friendly ingredients. Ingredients: 10-15 Simple Mills Seed Crackers ¼ cup Chopped cucumbers ¼ cup Finely chopped onions ¾ cup Cubed an...

Eating healthier foods doesn’t mean you have to give up yummy snacks. With this list, I’ve got your healthy snack supply covered. Below, you will find some of my favorite gluten-free and vegan snacks for the times when you want to enjoy something special and delicious.  Simple Mills Black Pepper Crackers: You can buy these from Whole Foods, Sprouts, Simple Mills’ website, or Thrive Market. They are the perfect crisp cracker, and the black pepper adds a ...

Ingredients: 1 boiled white sweet potato (I boiled mine in an instant pot) 2 tbsp coconut sugar ¼ cup tapioca starch + more for coating ½ cup natural almond flour 1 tsp cardamom powder ½ tsp vanilla extract Maple syrup and frozen wild blueberries for topping Coconut oil for greasing the waffle maker Instructions: Start by preheating your waffle maker to the medium set...

As the weather gets cooler, a bowl of butternut squash soup is the perfect comforting meal. Packed with aromatics and herbs like ginger, garlic, and rosemary, this soup is both flavorful and healing. Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash 1 medium-sized white onion 1 medium-sized yellow onion 4-5 cloves of garlic ½ tsp crushed black pepper Salt to taste 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (optional) 1...

You stroll through the town, red autumn leaves crunching under your feet, chilly gusts of wind brushing against your shoulders, and the smell of warm sweet potato pies filling your nose. As you walk further, you hear the giggles of little kids jumping into heaps of leaves. These images are what excite me for fall. But this isn’t all that fall offers, and with today’s recipe, you’ll get another re...

Pasta is a versatile food. Whether it is pasta salad, noodle soup, or tomato pasta, almost everyone loves pasta. While most people don’t give much thought to boiling pasta, boiling perfect pasta is a lot more complicated than it seems. Here are five tips that will take your pasta to the next level. Tips: Bring your water to a rolling boil: Bringing your water to a rolling boil is a simple...

Singing the flavors of fall, this comforting dessert is the perfect treat for a chilly day. It’s easy to make, satisfying, and warms you up within minutes. Enjoy with coconut sugar glaze and a warm cup of herbal tea. Ingredients:  Wet ingredients  ⅙ cup applesauce ⅙ cup melted coconut oil ⅓ cup orange juice 1 tbsp vanilla extract 3 chia eggs (basic recipe in the link) ...