Category Archives: DIY

Komen Walk and Mother’s Day Dinner- Boobs, Friends and Food

09 Monday May 2011

Posted by in appetizer, dessert, DIY, vegan

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 Our group for the big Komen Breast Cancer Walk, Yeah Team!
 Jenn, Mom and Me
 Breakfast at Squatters- Yum Fun
 Creminelli Sopressatta Salami over Fresh Cucumber
Urban Oven Crackers topped w/ local Goat Cheese, Fresh Anchovies and a slice of Fresh Lemon
 The dudes chillen, waiting for food. (Billy and Big Mike)
 View of our beautiful table
 Close up of Greek Salad (made by Mike, recipe on the blog) and Homemade Pasta (made my me) topped w/ local Sunbridge Pesto
Dessert- Homemade Coconut Ice Cream topped w/ Strawberries that were marinated in Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
-Homemade Coconut Ice Cream-
1 14oz can organic coconut milk
1/4 c. agave
1 T. Bourbon Madagascar Vanilla (I get mine at Williams Sonoma)
a pinch of salt
1. Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl and pour into your ice cream machine and process for 20-25 minutes.
2. Scoop into a freezer container and freeze for at least a few hours before serving.
3. When ready to serve take out of freezer and let sit for awhile to soften just a bit, serve. ENJOY!

Twice Baked Potatoes- Easter Dinner

01 Sunday May 2011

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 All the ingredients
 Potatoes scooped out and prepared filling, cheese for topping
 Completed prepared potatoes
Dinner!
-Twice Baked Potatoes-
6 organic russet potatoes
1 heaping c. Creminelli Prosciutto Cotto, cubed and fat trimmed off (about 1/2 lb)
1 heaping c. Beehive Full Moon Cheese, cubed- save 1/3 for the topping (I would have liked to use Beehive’s Promontory Cheddar but my store was out)
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1/4 c. organic sour cream
1/4 c. prepared horseradish
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
1. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper, bake the potatoes whole rubbed with olive oil and sprinkled with real salt. Bake @ 400 degrees for 50 minutes turning once during the cooking time.
2. When potatoes are cooked take out of the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out flesh of potatoes, be careful during this step not to break the outside shell. Leave 1/4 inch of flesh around the sides of the  shell.
3. Scoop the flesh into a big bowl, add olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. (Taste to check seasoning)
4. Next add ham, 2/3 of the cheese, onions- mix to combine. Next add sour cream and horseradish and mix all together.
5. Scoop a large spoonful of the mixture into each half of the potato until they are all filled. Top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake @ 400 for 20 minutes. Serve hot! Enjoy!

Cilantro Miso Vinaigrette

06 Wednesday Apr 2011

Posted by in DIY, dressing, vegan

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I made this vinaigrette a couple weeks ago with organic basil for my Green Lentil Salad (not on the blog…yet) and it was amazing and so flavorful. So this week I was craving my favorite soup, The Soup (on the blog) and because that recipe is heavy in Asian flavors I thought why not try this dressing with cilantro?! I know that people either love cilantro or hate cilantro, so feel free to use basil or parsley. But for me this vinaigrette was spot on for my salads this week for lunches. I also thing this recipe would be great as a veggie dip, for you your kids or your picky significant other. Enjoy!

-Cilantro Miso Vinaigrette-

1/4 c. miso paste (I used Westbrae Natural Organic Mellow White Miso)
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 T. water
2 T. brown rice syrup (you could use honey or agave)
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1/4 c. cilantro leaves

1. In a food processor or blender, blend the miso, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, water and brown rice syrup until well blended.
2. Add the chopped green onions and cilantro and pulse lightly to blend.
3. Pour into container with tight fitting lid and refrigerate for just a few hours for flavors to develop.

*Miso: Contains living enzymes that aid in digestion and help maintain healthy gut flora. Miso is a rich source of minerals. It tones and cleanses the body of toxins and metals such as radiation and mercury, and it helps the body assimilate good cholesterol and break down the bad. Miso is a living food that gives recipes a salty, rich flavor. Good quality miso will be in the refrigerated section. NEVER bring miso to a boil as doing so destroys it’s living enzymes. (Information provided by: Terri Walters, author of ‘Clean Food’ cookbook)

*Cilantro: Helps eliminate the heavy metal build up of mercury and lead from the bones and tissues in the body.

Coconut Granola- DIY

28 Monday Mar 2011

Posted by in breakfast, DIY, Snack, vegan

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This is the third attempt to get this recipe on my blog, not sure what the problem is so I’ll just get to the point. The blueprint for this recipe came from a blog I follow called ‘Kath Eats Real Food’, with a few favorite ingredients of my own and another that I love about a friends granola- VIOLA, homemade granola! Enjoy.

-Coconut Granola-
2 c. raw thick rolled oats (there are gluten free ones available)
3/4 c. raw buckwheat groats (these are gluten free, and they are what we use for our raw cereal)
1/4 c. raw macadamia nuts, chopped (these remind us of Hawaii and for some reason I have a surplus of them in the fridge)
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

1/4 c. coconut oil (if its solid, melt gently so it becomes liquid)
1/4 c. brown rice syrup
1/4 tsp. Celtic salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. cayenne (our friend Gwen puts this in hers and we loved it)

3/4 c. raw unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. chopped dried fruit (I used papaya, this also reminds us of Hawaii)

1. Preheat the oven to 300, mix the first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Toss together.
2. Mix the next six ingredients in a separate bowl, you may want to whisk to ensure that all the ingredients are well mixed.
3. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and toss all together making sure to coat everything well.
4. Pour mixture into a baking dish (I used my Le Creuset casserole dish because the first batch I used a cookie sheet and the granola got a little toasty) and place on the middle rack in the oven.
5. Bake for 1 hour tossing every 20 minutes.
6. When done baking, take granola out of the oven and toss in the last two remaining ingredients. Toss well and let cool completely, store in jars or containers with a tight fitting lid.

Tofu Sour Cream- DIY

21 Monday Mar 2011

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I used to buy Tofutti sour cream but just like some of the other DIY recipes I make (Almond Milk, Kale Chips), I can make this for less money AND with better ingredients. So I was lucky to find this recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks ‘Clean Food’ by Terri Walters. Enjoy!

-Tofu Sour Cream- Makes 1 Cup (I doubled the recipe)

8 oz firm or extra firm silken tofu (I have found this sprouted tofu that I like, so I used that)
2 T. lemon juice
3 T. canola oil
2 t. brown rice vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar, and I used just a little more to give it that sour flavor)
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, chopped

1. In a food processor, whip tofu until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients and process until pepper is mixed in and all the ingredients are well combined.
3. Chill before serving.

Cosmo Hippie Chef Burrito

21 Monday Mar 2011

Posted by in beans, DIY

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So I made a fresh batch of refried beans (posted Nov. 8 2010) for burritos tonight for dinner and maybe one during the week. We are still experiencing cold weather but transitioning into spring. What’s a Cosmo hippie chef to do? On the cold nights we’ll eat the burritos, and on the warmer nights I’ll make something lighter. This is just a blue print of the burrito we made but feel free to use the beans you make any way you like. Enjoy!

-Cosmo Hippie Chef Burrito-

Refried Pinto Beans with Green Chilies (posted Nov. 8 2010)
Cooked forbidden rice (this rice is black but turns purple when cooked! High in nutrients!)
Chopped fresh baby spinach, chopped
Chopped fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh avocado
Grated local Beehive cheese
Sprouted tortillas
Tofu sour cream (I’ll post this recipe)
*optional- enchilada sauce (homemade, from the store or your favorite Mexican restaurant)

DIY Recipe- Homemade Pizza Sauce

17 Monday Jan 2011

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We love making homemade pizza at our house, especially in the summer out on the grill. So now that it’s cold and miserable outside we had to come up with a plan B. Lucky for me Big Mike (my mom’s fiance) gave us a pizza stone, so decided to try it out Saturday night. I had the pizza dough, mushrooms, kale, cheese, vegan sausage, but no sauce. Here’s what I came up with. P.S. I joke that if my husband approves it must be good, he’s very picky about his sauce.
Good luck and Enjoy!
-Pizza Sauce-
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. pureed tomatoes (I used my canned tomatoes, and strained them through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds)
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 tsp oregano, basil, sugar
salt and pepper
1. Start by sauteing the onion and garlic in olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Saute until the onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add all the other ingredients and simmer the sauce until it thickens, maybe 20 minutes. Taste the sauce to see if you need to add more salt and pepper.
3. Use on your next homemade pizza.

Gravy (Psst… It’s vegan and it’s delicious)

16 Tuesday Nov 2010

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When I was a kid and didn’t feel good I would request mashed potatoes and gravy, they were the ultimate comfort food for me. Even now that I’m a ‘grown-up’ I still want this when I need a bowl of comfort. This weekend was one of those times. I ran across this recipe for mushroom gravy a while ago and I make it all the time, it’s super savory and a great alternative if you don’t eat meat but want a full flavored gravy. I hope you love it as much as me and maybe it will help with your Thanksgiving meal. I found this on Eating Well.com.

-Portobello Gravy- 2 c. chunky gravy or 1 c. smooth gravy, serves 8

1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves (I use more), minced
1 1/2 c. chopped cleaned portobello mushrooms (I use baby bellos or baby shitakes)
2 1/4 c. vegetable broth (I use homemade broth)
3 T. tamari or reduced sodium soy sauce (I use liquid amino’s)
1/4 t. dried thyme leaves
1/8 t. crumbled dried sage (I use fresh sometimes)
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring often, until softened about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they begin to release their juices, about 10 minutes.
2. Add broth, tamari or soy sauce, thyme and sage, simmer 10 minutes. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into the sauce and simmer, stirring often until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes more. Season with pepper.
– If you prefer a smooth gravy, pass it through a fine sieve, discard the solids (I use a hand held blender and blend the gravy until smooth and discard nothing). Serve hot. ENJOY!

DIY Recipe- Almond Milk

20 Tuesday Apr 2010

Posted by in DIY, Drinks, vegan

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Almond Milk

I love this almond milk, this recipe was shared with me by my friend Gwen. This is another one of those items I was happy to remove from my grocery list because I can Do It Myself! I buy the almond and dates for this recipe in bulk section of my store, so it saves me money and I have better quality control when it comes to the ingredients. I probably make two jars a week but here’s the only disclaimer, this milk goes bad in about 4 days. If you can commit to using this homemade almond milk you won’t be sorry, it’s delicious and fun. I say fun because it will be a totally new experience for your taste buds and your insides will rejoice to have some thing so fresh and natural. I use this milk in our breakfast shakes and in my raw cereal. I hope you’ll try it,Enjoy.

-Almond Milk-

1/2 c. raw organic almonds (soaked overnight in water, enough to cover an inch above the almonds)
2 tsp. raw agave nectar, pure vanilla extract
4 c. water
1/2 c. pitted dates
pinch of salt

1. After the almonds have soaked overnight, drain and rinse them under fresh water. Place in the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Blend until all the almonds and dates are blended well. Pour the milk into a bowl and let sit 30 min to an 1 hour. (This let’s the milk absorb all the goodness before you strain it.)
3. Strain the milk through a fine mesh strainer into a new bowl, take a spatula and press as much of the liquids from the solids through the strainer. Discard the solids, stir the milk and pour into a mason jar with a lid. Place in the refrigerator until chilled through. Enjoy!

DIY Recipes- Kale Chips

19 Monday Apr 2010

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Kale Chips
This picture doesn’t do these kale chips justice. This is one of those items I was was happy to remove from my grocery list because I can make them myself. When money gets tight we all look for ways to cut back, well for me the groceries aren’t an option. I feel that when times get stressful taking great care of yourself by eating well is the best insurance policy you can have. So make healthy food fun, that’s what I have done here with the kale chips. In return it saved me money on my food budget, but I didn’t have to budget my health and well being in the process. My good friend Kimmy made them for her family and even her one year old Martine loved them. Good luck and ENJOY!
-Kale Chips-
1 big bunch of kale, stems removed , washed and cut into 1-1/2 pieces
1 T. olive oil, or coconut oil
1/4 t. real salt (local salt) or celtic salt
1. Toss the kale with the olive oil and salt. Making sure all the kale is coated.
2. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes at 375. (They are better on the crispier side)
3. Remove from oven and Enjoy.