Live Demo: Healthy Snacks with a Professional Chef

Follow along live with professional chef Kelley Williamson (Professional Chef and Meetup organizer of Denver, Healthy Plant-Based Cooking Classes) as she teaches you to make Italian quesadillas, potato nachos, and chocolate energy bites. This is the perfect opportunity if you’ve ever thought about hosting your own online cooking event or just need some pointers for simple healthy recipes.

Want to host your own cooking event? Learn how to get started on Meetup.

Timestamps:

• Introduction (3:01)
• Italian Quesedillas (5:13)
• Energy Bites (14:29)
• Back to the quesedillas (22:46)
• Prepping for the Potachos (27:42)
• Tips for hosting your own event (46:25)
• Q&A (48:00)

Full recipes

Recipes by Plant Based Kitchenista

Quesadillas All’Italiana (makes 3 to 4 servings)

• Ingredients:
  • Caramelized Onions
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
    • 1 large white onion, sliced
  • Bean Spread
    • 1 – 15 ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1 tablespoon water and lemon juice
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1⁄2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in water) (no oil)
  • Other Ingredients
    • 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
    • 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh basil
    • 2 avocadoes, very thinly sliced or diced
    • 6 to 8 whole wheat tortillas or corn tortillas
  • Dipping Sauce
    • Your Favorite marinara sauce, heated
• Directions:
  • Caramelized onions: In a large skillet, heat vegetable broth and sauté onions over medium heat until tender and slightly caramelized – 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
  • Bean spread: Combine beans, water, lemon juice, garlic and blend thoroughly in a food processor. When the ingredients are blended to a smooth consistency, pulse in the sun-dried tomatoes.
  • Assembly: Spread the bean mixture on a tortilla leaving about 1⁄4 of space. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and basil. Add the avocadoes and then fold over. Add to a hot skillet and let brown on each side. While your quesadilla is browning, heat your favorite marinara sauce and have it ready as a dipping sauce. Serve hot and enjoy.

Energy Bites (makes 50 servings)

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup oats, gluten free
  • 2/3 cup coconut, unsweetened
  • 1⁄4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/8 cup agave
  • 1/8 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Directions:
  • Mix all ingredients in a bowl and then form into balls and refrigerate. You can also freeze these to enjoy.

Potachos (Potato Nachos) (makes 2 servings)

• Ingredients:
  • 4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sweet/smoked paprika
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, small quartered
  • 1⁄2 red onion, small diced
  • 1⁄2 jalapeno, small diced
  • Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
  • 2 handfuls fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons sweet corn
  • 1⁄2 avocado, diced
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1⁄2 cup of cheese (optional) ** If vegan or lactose intolerant, you can 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• Directions:
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix in the nutritional yeast, garlic, and paprika.
  • In another bowl place the potato slices in the bowl and then lightly sprinkle the potatoes with the spice mix, making sure that each potato is covered. Place the potato slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet (make sure that they are not overlapping) and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, add in the tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, lemon juice, and a handful of the chopped cilantro and combine to make a salsa.
  • For the other ingredients, place them in small bowls or containers for topping the potatoes and serve.

Last modified on June 23, 2021