Today is a perfect fall day. The weather is cool and crisp outside and my kids are out of school for the Thanksgiving break. Unfortunately, they are both feeling under the weather so we are all confined to indoors. Otherwise we would all be out working away on our gardens and other outdoor projects (they planned this on purpose). So, like a responsibile mom, I've broken out the herbs and other potions to get these little darlings better asap. However, my sweet tooth is screaming for something right NOW! I found a recipe and made a few adapations so that the vegan-ness of our situation can be accomodated. Actually, these cookies turned out AWESOME!!
Ingredients:
2/3 c. brown rice flour
1/3 c. spelt flour
1/2 c. sorghum flour
1/2 c. corn starch
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan or guar gum
Mix together dry ingredients, then add in:
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 tsp almond milk
1 c. fresh, creamed or canned pumpkin
1/2 c. light olive oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. molasses
1 c. vegan chocolate chips
Your mix is going to be very sticky, coat your hands in some of the same oil you used in the batter and roll your dough into small balls. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes depending on your oven.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Vegan Enchiladas
I was going to make this for dinner tonight. Hence, the reason I posted the recipe (so that I could easily go to it). I snagged it from the "Oh She Glows" blogsite. However, things happen and I never got around to making it. This is in the line up for the next couple of days so I'll be leaving it up if it is a hit. If not . . . well, then it gets the axe. End of story.
Ingredients: (Makes 4 enchiladas)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped (~2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sweet potato, chopped (or zucchini)
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 handfuls spinach, chopped
1 can black beans (~2 cups), drained and rinsed
1 (14oz.) can Enchilada sauce or pasta sauce (~2 cups) see note
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice, to taste
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
4 whole grain tortilla wraps (I used Food for Life Ezekiel)
Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce, to pour on top (recipe below)
Green onion & chopped cilantro, to garnish Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce
1 & 1/4 cup avocado flesh
2 tbsp water, or more as needed to thin out
2-3 tbsp lime juice, to taste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 cup packed fresh cilantro
1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp ground cumin
Black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F and grab a baking dish large enough for 4 enchiladas. Pre-cook the chopped sweet potato, by simmering it in a small pot of water for about 5-10 minutes until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet or pot, add 1 tbsp oil and bring to medium to low heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add in garlic and reduce heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes. Now add the chopped pepper, pre-cooked sweet potato, drained black beans, and chopped spinach. Cook for about 5-7 more minutes on medium-low heat.
3. Now add in your enchilada or pasta sauce. Stir well, and add in your seasonings: nutritional yeast (optional), cumin, fresh lime juice, salt, garlic powder, chili powder- all to taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir well.
4. Scoop about 3/4-1 cup of the mixture onto the bottom of your casserole dish and spread out in a thin layer. Scoop about 1/2-3/4 cup of the mixture onto each tortilla and wrap, placing the fold down on the casserole dish. Repeat for the remaining 3 tortillas and leave a bit of filling left to spread over the top. Sprinkle with vegan cheese if preferred.
5. Bake tortillas at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your Cilantro cream sauce (see below). When enchiladas are cooked, remove from oven and pour the sauce over top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion. Serve immediately. Makes 4 enchiladas.
Cilantro cream sauce
1. In a food processor, process the avocado flesh and water until creamy. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Use immediately for best results.
Note: Depending on what kind of sauce you use, you will have to adjust the seasonings to taste. I used a pasta sauce so I likely needed more seasonings to achieve the taste I desired.
Tips
1) Due to the avocado in the cream sauce, this sauce needs to be used immediately for best results. If you plan on having leftovers, my advice is to wrap the leftover enchiladas without sauce and store in the fridge. You can try storing leftover sauce in an air-tight container for up to one day or you can make a half batch and make fresh sauce as needed.
Ingredients: (Makes 4 enchiladas)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped (~2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sweet potato, chopped (or zucchini)
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 handfuls spinach, chopped
1 can black beans (~2 cups), drained and rinsed
1 (14oz.) can Enchilada sauce or pasta sauce (~2 cups) see note
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice, to taste
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
4 whole grain tortilla wraps (I used Food for Life Ezekiel)
Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce, to pour on top (recipe below)
Green onion & chopped cilantro, to garnish Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce
1 & 1/4 cup avocado flesh
2 tbsp water, or more as needed to thin out
2-3 tbsp lime juice, to taste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 cup packed fresh cilantro
1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp ground cumin
Black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F and grab a baking dish large enough for 4 enchiladas. Pre-cook the chopped sweet potato, by simmering it in a small pot of water for about 5-10 minutes until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet or pot, add 1 tbsp oil and bring to medium to low heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add in garlic and reduce heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes. Now add the chopped pepper, pre-cooked sweet potato, drained black beans, and chopped spinach. Cook for about 5-7 more minutes on medium-low heat.
3. Now add in your enchilada or pasta sauce. Stir well, and add in your seasonings: nutritional yeast (optional), cumin, fresh lime juice, salt, garlic powder, chili powder- all to taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir well.
4. Scoop about 3/4-1 cup of the mixture onto the bottom of your casserole dish and spread out in a thin layer. Scoop about 1/2-3/4 cup of the mixture onto each tortilla and wrap, placing the fold down on the casserole dish. Repeat for the remaining 3 tortillas and leave a bit of filling left to spread over the top. Sprinkle with vegan cheese if preferred.
5. Bake tortillas at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your Cilantro cream sauce (see below). When enchiladas are cooked, remove from oven and pour the sauce over top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion. Serve immediately. Makes 4 enchiladas.
Cilantro cream sauce
1. In a food processor, process the avocado flesh and water until creamy. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Use immediately for best results.
Note: Depending on what kind of sauce you use, you will have to adjust the seasonings to taste. I used a pasta sauce so I likely needed more seasonings to achieve the taste I desired.
Tips
1) Due to the avocado in the cream sauce, this sauce needs to be used immediately for best results. If you plan on having leftovers, my advice is to wrap the leftover enchiladas without sauce and store in the fridge. You can try storing leftover sauce in an air-tight container for up to one day or you can make a half batch and make fresh sauce as needed.
Vegan Blondies
I was feeling a tidge bit domestic this Saturday and started frolicking around on my computer for great vegan desserts. I have discovered that my twins both have food sensitivites and am really striving to provide good tasting, healthy foods for them - no small task. However, I stumbled upon this recipe on a blogsite called "Chocolate Covered Katie". Catchy name and she's absolutely adorable. These blondies didn't last long. They were absolutely amazing (hence the reason they are featured here, lol).
(makes 15-20 squares)
1 1/2 cups chickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed) (250g)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar (I substituted Stevia here)
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground flax (20g)
1/4 cup peanut butter (my son has a pretty bad peanut allergy so we used almond butter)
optional: 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients (except chips) until very smooth. Mix in chips, and scoop into a greased (or tinfoil-lined) 8×8 pan. Bake for 38-40 minutes. You want the blondies to look a little undercooked when you take them out, because they’ll firm up as they cool, and you don’t want them to get hard. (Note: you can probably sub any white bean for the chickpeas)
(makes 15-20 squares)
1 1/2 cups chickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed) (250g)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar (I substituted Stevia here)
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground flax (20g)
1/4 cup peanut butter (my son has a pretty bad peanut allergy so we used almond butter)
optional: 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients (except chips) until very smooth. Mix in chips, and scoop into a greased (or tinfoil-lined) 8×8 pan. Bake for 38-40 minutes. You want the blondies to look a little undercooked when you take them out, because they’ll firm up as they cool, and you don’t want them to get hard. (Note: you can probably sub any white bean for the chickpeas)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Raw Chocolate Fudge
Holy mackeral! This was absolutely fabulous. I found this recipe while playing around with Pinterest (btw, if you haven't gotten on board with Pinterest, you haven't gotten on board!). There are several different sites that have this delicious easy dessert but I kind of adapted it to my liking. I brought this to a potluck last night and it went over really well. Several of my friends said that it reminded them of Andes Mints. Yum!!
2 VERY ripe bananas
1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
3/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup shredded raw coconut
about 6 drops peppermint extract
3 droppers full Sweet Leaf chocolate flavored stevia
Place all the ingredients in a Vitamix (or food processor) and blend them until they are smooth. Spread the mixture in a container (pie plate, 8 x 8, 11 x 14 etc) depending on how much you are making. This can set overnight in the refrigerator or for a quicker set it can be placed in the freezer for a couple of hours. It needs about 20 minutes to thaw before serving.
Optional: Cacao nibs or spearmint sprigs on top
Note: I tripled this recipe for the 11 x 14 pan that I brought to the potluck. It was perfect.
2 VERY ripe bananas
1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
3/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup shredded raw coconut
about 6 drops peppermint extract
3 droppers full Sweet Leaf chocolate flavored stevia
Place all the ingredients in a Vitamix (or food processor) and blend them until they are smooth. Spread the mixture in a container (pie plate, 8 x 8, 11 x 14 etc) depending on how much you are making. This can set overnight in the refrigerator or for a quicker set it can be placed in the freezer for a couple of hours. It needs about 20 minutes to thaw before serving.
Optional: Cacao nibs or spearmint sprigs on top
Note: I tripled this recipe for the 11 x 14 pan that I brought to the potluck. It was perfect.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Zucchini Carrot Muffins
This recipe comes from Diana Rattray. I found it out there on the net. It's super yummy although it really doesn't quite meet my high standards for "healthy". I'll play around with the recipe later to get it more friendly with our healthier lifestyle. However, I can't deny how exceedingly yummy they are and how quickly they disappear from the kitchen!
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 flax eggs (2 T flax meal + 6 T water, mix & allow to sit)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cups gluten free flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cup shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup shredded carrot
Grease 12 muffin cups. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, beat the oil and eggs, sugar and vanilla.
Combine flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add to wet ingredients, stirring until blended. Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full (mine were completely full and it was fine). Bake 20 minutes. Watch 'em disappear!!
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 flax eggs (2 T flax meal + 6 T water, mix & allow to sit)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cups gluten free flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cup shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup shredded carrot
Grease 12 muffin cups. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, beat the oil and eggs, sugar and vanilla.
Combine flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add to wet ingredients, stirring until blended. Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full (mine were completely full and it was fine). Bake 20 minutes. Watch 'em disappear!!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake - Vegan!
3 cups gluten free flour
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 t. sea salt
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 t. vanilla
2 t. vinegar
1 cup water
3 cups zucchini - shredded
Set oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients, beat on medium speed until smooth. Bake in greased 9 x 13 25-30 minutes.
*Do NOT over bake. Better if slightly undercooked
*Can add a couple Tablespoons flaxseed oil
*For stronger chocolate flavor add 1-2 tablespoons more cocoa (suggested)
*Make sure to bake right away so the baking soda and vinegar stay active (add vinegar last)
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 t. sea salt
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 t. vanilla
2 t. vinegar
1 cup water
3 cups zucchini - shredded
Set oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients, beat on medium speed until smooth. Bake in greased 9 x 13 25-30 minutes.
*Do NOT over bake. Better if slightly undercooked
*Can add a couple Tablespoons flaxseed oil
*For stronger chocolate flavor add 1-2 tablespoons more cocoa (suggested)
*Make sure to bake right away so the baking soda and vinegar stay active (add vinegar last)
Monday, August 15, 2011
Zucchini Pizza
Like a lot of people right about this time of year, we have an over abundance of zucchini. When we initially put those little tiny cute plants in the ground we have no conception of how they will evolve into these ginormous plants that yield a seemingly unending amount of gorgeous green squashes. Well, I got myself busy and found some really great recipes. This one, tonight, was pretty yummy. The twins LOVED it (they aren't normal kids, though. They eat mostly a vegetarian diet and seldom see junk food pass in front of them).
3 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup egg substitute (I use flax eggs)
1/3 cup gluten free flour
1/2 t. salt
2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
2 small tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup julienne green pepper
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried basil
3 T. shredded vegan parmesan cheese
Optional items:
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 5 because I LOVE garlic)
chopped artichoke hearts
sliced olives
be creative!!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In bowl combine zucchini, egg substitute. Mix well. Add flour and salt. Stir well. Spread onto the bottom of 12" pizza pan coated with non-stick spray. Bake for 8 minutes. Reduce to 350 degrees. Sprinkle with mozzarella, tomatoes, onion, garlic, green pepper, oregano, basil, parmesan cheese and any other goodies you deem worthy of your pizza experience. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until onion is tender and cheese is melted. Remove and enjoy a pretty unique example of extraordinary cuisine!
3 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup egg substitute (I use flax eggs)
1/3 cup gluten free flour
1/2 t. salt
2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
2 small tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup julienne green pepper
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried basil
3 T. shredded vegan parmesan cheese
Optional items:
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 5 because I LOVE garlic)
chopped artichoke hearts
sliced olives
be creative!!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In bowl combine zucchini, egg substitute. Mix well. Add flour and salt. Stir well. Spread onto the bottom of 12" pizza pan coated with non-stick spray. Bake for 8 minutes. Reduce to 350 degrees. Sprinkle with mozzarella, tomatoes, onion, garlic, green pepper, oregano, basil, parmesan cheese and any other goodies you deem worthy of your pizza experience. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until onion is tender and cheese is melted. Remove and enjoy a pretty unique example of extraordinary cuisine!
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