German Potato Salad – Healthy, plant-based, oil-free, fat-free, gluten-free, easy vegan recipe

EASY |  SERVINGS: 6  |  READY IN: 20 MINUTES |  YIELD: 8 CUPS

This simple recipe is a healthy, vegan twist on a classic summer favorite.  Traditionally made with bacon and cider vinegar, this plant-based version gets bold flavor from smoked salt and spicy brown mustard. Serve this side dish for a gluten-free side that everyone will love.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch thick disks
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup water (use the water from boiling the potatoes)

Related: Put one of these mocktails on your next party menu

Directions

To boil the potatoes:

Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with a couple of inches of water. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer. Simmer until knife-glide tender, about 6-8 minutes. Because the potatoes are thinly sliced, keep an eye on them – it won’t take them long to be done.

To make the healthy vegan german potato salad:

While the potatoes simmer, prepare the other ingredients for the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cider vinegar, spicy brown mustard, red onion, smoked salt, and black pepper. Toss well to combine. After the potatoes have simmered for a few minutes (and have started to release some of their starches), portion out ¼ cup of the water. Add this to the bowl with the dressing ingredients.

When the potatoes are done simmering, remove from the heat, and drain well. Immediately add them to the bowl with the dressing ingredients. Toss well to combine. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Enjoy immediately, while still warm.

Related: Craving ice cream? Try one of these healthy ice cream recipes

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories 144
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0 g0 %
Saturated Fat 0 g0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg0 %
Sodium 434 mg18 %
Potassium 961 mg27 %
Total Carbohydrate 41 g14 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g13 %
Sugars 2 g 
Protein 5 g9 %
Vitamin A0 %
Vitamin C69 %
Calcium3 %
Iron9 %

Post written by FFC group fitness instructor Katie Simmons. Some photos provided by Katie Simmons.

More about Katie: Katie is a group fitness instructor at FFC and is also a personal chef based in Chicago. She specializes in creating delicious, healthy recipes for those with special dietary concerns like gluten-free, oil-free, plant-based, and low-residue. You can see more at www.plants-rule.com. You can also see more recipes at www.facebook.com/plants-rule and follow her on Instagram at @chefkatiesimmons.

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Most vegan baking recipes involve lots of oil, refined sugar and refined flour. While these treats are free of animal products like butter, milk and eggs, they can often be less than nutritious. Taking a whole foods, plant-based approach to baking means get rid of refined ingredients. That means no oil, no sugar, no syrup, and only whole grain flour. How can you create a moist, delicious chocolate muffin under those guidelines? The secret: Spinach.

Spinach Adds Moisture, Replacing Oil

Removing oil from a baking recipe can leave you with a dry, crumbly muffin. To replace this lost moisture, I used spinach. Like most vegetables, spinach is packed with water. Technically, you could use any green in this recipe. However, sweet baby spinach is the ideal plant-based ingredient. It has natural sweet flavor, which compliments the flavor of these muffins well. Plus, you can find pre-washed bags in the produce section. Which means it’s quick and convenient.

To add even more moisture to the recipe, I also used unsweetened applesauce and unsweetened plain almond milk. These ingredients help create a smooth batter so that the muffins get plenty of rise during baking. You can use any plant-based milk for this recipe, though. Soy milk and rice milk also work.

Spinach is the secret ingredient to keep these oil-free muffins moist in this plant-based vegan recipe

Dates and bananas add sweetness, which means no refined sugar, syrup or honey

Unlike most vegan baking recipes, I want to keep this whole foods, plant-based. Therefore, I am trying to avoid refined ingredients like sugar, syrup or honey. Even so-called “healthy” sugars like coconut sugar and maple syrup are quite calorie-dense. Plus, they can spike your blood-sugar, making your energy fluctuate.

To sweeten this recipe, I used a combination of dried dates and ripe bananas. Pitted deglet noor dates add deep rich sweetness, similar to brown sugar or coconut sugar. However, they are loaded with fiber, which helps prevent your blood-sugar spike. Bananas have a lighter sweetness, similar to white sugar. They are also loaded with fiber and other nutritious vitamins and minerals like potassium, B6 and vitamin C. Using a combination helped balance the sweetness for these awesome plant-based muffins.

A blend of whole grain spelt flour and brown rice flour creates perfect texture

The last element to consider in this healthy vegan recipe was the dry ingredients. Again, many vegan baking recipes still use refined white flour. However, I wanted to use whole grain flours to keep this plant-based.

It took quite a bit of trial and error, but I found the perfect ratio of whole grain spelt flour and brown rice flour. Spelt flour has a nutty, rich flavor, which complements the chocolate flavor of these muffins. Brown rice flour helps retain moisture. This gives you moist muffins, with the perfect texture. Together, they create a crumble that has a good chew while also staying light and fluffy.

You’ll love these plant-based oil-free chocolate secret spinach muffins. They are: 

  • Moist and Perfectly Sweet
  • Freezer-Friendly
  • Kid-Friendly
  • Healthy
  • Chocolatey

Whole food, plant-based baking means you get more nutrition for less calories. We call this calorie density. Each of these muffins is only:

  • 120 calories
  • 1 gram fat
  • 17% daily fiber
  • 3 grams protein
  • 36% of daily calcium

Level: Medium
Servings: 16 muffins
Ready In: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (200g) pitted dates
  • 5 ounces baby spinach, about 4 cups
  • ½ cup (114g) applesauce
  • 1 ½ cups (330g) mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsweetened plain almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 cup (120g) spelt flour
  • ½ cup (80g) brown rice flour
  • ½ cup (48g) cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup coconut flake

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350. Line 16 muffin cups with parchment paper muffin liners.
  2. For the wet mixture: In a blender, combine the dates, baby spinach, applesauce, bananas, vanilla, almond milk, and espresso powder. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. For the dry mixture: In a large mixing bowl, place the spelt flour, brown rice flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to combine.
  4. Pour the pureed wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine. Try not to overmix as it will toughen the dough.
  5. To portion and bake the Chocolatey Secret-Spinach Spelt Muffins: Portion the batter into the pre-lined muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ cup full. Sprinkle the coconut flake onto each muffin. Place in the oven and bake 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
  6. Remove and let cool 10 minutes in the muffin tins. Cool to room temperature. Then enjoy or refrigerate for later.

Chef Katie’s Healthy Cooking Tips:

Spelt Flour: Spelt flour is milled from a whole grain, a member of the wheat family. It has a nutty flavor that accents the chocolate in this recipe. Find it in the baking section of most groceries, near the other flours.

Gluten-Free:  Spelt is a member of the wheat family so it contains gluten.  For a gluten-free version of this recipe, substitute with a gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.

Dark Cocoa Powder: For the best flavor, use a high-quality dark baking cocoa powder. It’s worth investing in a product that has deep, rich flavor. This will make your chocolate baking more delicious.

Nut-Free:  You can substitute a nut-free, plant-based milk for the almond milk.  Soy milk, oat milk, and rice milk would work. Be sure to use plain, unsweetened milk for the best flavor.

Keep it Green:  You can omit the cocoa and espresso for a Mean Green version of this recipe.  Add ½ cup of spelt flour to make up for the cocoa powder. These end up tasting more like banana bread – a delicious, healthy, plant-based breakfast muffin!

Oil-Free Baking: I’m on a Mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oil. This recipe uses applesauce and whole foods to replace oil. For spray-free baking, use parchment muffin liners.

Post written by FFC group fitness instructor Katie Simmons. Some photos provided by Katie Simmons.

More about Katie: Katie is a group fitness instructor at FFC and is also a personal chef based in Chicago. She specializes in creating delicious, healthy recipes for those with special dietary concerns like gluten-free, oil-free, plant-based, and low-residue. You can see more at www.plants-rule.com. You can also see more recipes at www.facebook.com/plants-rule and follow her on Instagram at @chefkatiesimmons.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:

1 muffin

Amount Per Serving:

Calories 120

% Daily Value

  • Total Fat 1g 2%
  • Saturated Fat 1g 3%
  • Cholesterol 0mg 0%
  • Sodium 189mg 8%
  • Potassium 278mg 8%
  • Total Carbohydrates 27g 9%
  • Fiber 4g 17%
  • Sugar 12g
  • Protein 3g 5%
  • Calcium  36%
  • Iron 6%
  • Vitamin A 17%
  • Vitamin C 12%

Sweet, nutty and tangy, this vegan, gluten-free salad hits it all. The ingredients in the salad work double-duty as the ingredients for the oil-free dressing. Walnuts provide healthy fats. Apples and raisins add natural sweetness, and Dijon adds a tangy kick. This will win over any veggie skeptic. Serve with Butternut Squash Bisque, Mushroom Soup with Barley and Leek or Farro Vegetable Soup for a satisfying dinner.

kale salad with apples

Level: Easy
Servings: 6
Ready In: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 sweet, crisp apples (like Gala, Fuji, Braeburn or Honeycrisp)
  • 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale

Directions

To prep ingredients:

Soak raisins in about 1/4 cup warm water, to soften. Toast walnuts in a 375 degree oven, 10-13 minutes, until golden and aromatic. Remove and let cool.

To make salad:

Strip kale from stems and thinly slice.

Place half of the celery, apples, walnuts and raisins in one bowl with the kale. This is your salad.

Place the other half in another bowl, along with the raisin soaking liquid, and mustard. This will become your dressing.

Place dressing ingredients in a blender with a couple tablespoons of water. Puree. Dressing should be a pourable, creamy consistency. Add water as needed to reach this consistency. Taste for salt and pepper.

Add dressing to salad ingredients. Use your hands to mix well.

Serve and enjoy. Gets even better after a day.

Related: 10 ways to increase your veggie intake

Chef Tips:

  • Apple Varieties: Choose any sweet, crisp apples for this salad.  Or, try it with pears!  
  • Kale Varieties: Kale comes in lots of varieties, including green curly, dark Tuscan and purple. Even the dark Tuscan kale has similar varieties like Dino and Nero. The original Italian version of this recipe calls for dark Tuscan kale, but you can use whatever variety you like.
  • Champagne Vinegar: This clear vinegar provides a light, mild flavor and is not as harsh as other acids like white wine vinegar or lemon juice. You can use it in other recipes calling for these ingredients.

Yield: 9-10 cups

Post written by FFC group fitness instructor Katie Simmons. Some photos provided by Katie Simmons.

More about Katie: Katie is a group fitness instructor at FFC and is also a personal chef based in Chicago. She specializes in creating delicious, healthy recipes for those with special dietary concerns like gluten-free, oil-free, plant-based, and low-residue. You can see more at www.plants-rule.com. You can also see more recipes at www.facebook.com/plants-rule and follow her on Instagram at @chefkatiesimmons.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:

About 1/6 recipe, 1 – 1 1/2 cups

Amount Per Serving:

Calories 134.17

Calories From Fat (44%) 59.35

% Daily Value

  • Total Fat 7.1g 11%
  • Saturated Fat 0.68g 3%
  • Cholesterol 0mg 0%
  • Sodium 99.8mg 4%
  • Potassium 440.89mg 13%
  • Total Carbohydrates 17.27g 6%
  • Fiber 2.04g 8%
  • Sugar 0.62g
  • Protein 4.13g 8%
  • Calcium 59.99mg 6%
  • Iron 89.04mg 495%
  • Vitamin A IU
  • Vitamin C 0mg 0%

Does the sound of meal prepping your kids’ lunches (or yours) for the week sound horrible? Does eating the same lunch day after day sound even worse? Bored with sandwiches and salads every day? Check out these bento box lunch ideas for school…. or better yet, for you!

Bento boxes are essentially a lunch box with dividers, which are great for portion control. They are a great solution to help you stay organized and try a variety of foods throughout the week.

Related: need meal prep motivation? Check out this post!

Think of it as a deconstructed lunch. You get to have all the same components, just not all in one item, which help to make you feel more satisfied. 

Below are some tips for your bento box lunch ideas for school (or again, for work. No one’s judging!). Make sure your bento boxes include the following nutrition components:

  • Vegetables 
  • Fruits
  • Complex Carbohydrate 
  • Protein 

Bento Box Lunch Prepping

When you get home from the grocery store, spend 30-45 minutes knocking out the prep all at once! This is a great time to do preparations like cutting fruits and veggies so they don’t end up dying and in the trash a week later. Turn on your favorite tunes and have fun! 

Related: even more easy ideas for work lunches – goodbye, sad desk salad!

Easy Ways to Get Started: Bento Box Lunch Ideas For School

  • Box 1: turkey and cheese roll ups, whole grain crackers, cucumbers and grapes. 
  • Box 2: hummus, mini whole grain pita, blueberries, red pepper slices.
  • Box 3: southwest quinoa salad with corn and black beans, broccoli, strawberries. 

Tip: Add a ¼ cup of trail mix or a piece of dark chocolate to end your lunch on a sweet note!

When it comes to bento box lunch ideas for school (or especially for your midday meal) the key is to play around with different ideas and have fun with your food. Make it colorful and something that you can look forward to midday! 

Post written by FFC Elmhurst Registered Dietitian Alex Kruzel.

About Alex

Alexandra Kruzel, RDN, LDN, is a registered dietitian for Chicago’s Fitness Formula Clubs. She is originally from Ohio but loves the Chicago area – she even met her husband here! Alex loves spending her time going on adventures, playing and cooking with her 2 little girls.

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