Category Archives: vegan

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.

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

05 Monday Apr 2010

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So a few months back I posted an awesome Mint Chocolate Pudding which I love, and then I came up with this one. It’s just a little easier and dairy free which is a great alternative for any diet direction. It has become one of Billy’s favorite ‘treats’, and he requests it often and I feel great about making it for him. I have also made it for my family and friends and they would agree it’s a winner, you may be a little surprised by the ingredients but don’t knock it till you try it. ENJOY
-Chocolate Pudding-
1 14-oz silken tofu (organic)
1/2 c. soy milk, (last time I used some leftover coffee, yummy)
1/2 c. maple syrup (real) or agave nectar
1/2 c. cacao powder (raw chocolate powder)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt, shake of cinnamon, dash of nutmeg
1. Put all the ingredients into the food processor and mix until smooth, just once remove lid and scrape down sides, put lid back on and mix again until totally smooth.
2. Divide into 6 ramekins, place in the refrigerator at least an hour before serving.

Pumpkin Corn Bread

04 Sunday Apr 2010

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So if you are an avid cook like myself you probably have a hard time throwing away food. I’m always looking for creative ways to use up extra ingredients, that is how this recipe came to be. I had leftover pureed carrots and yams from the Mac and Cheese and remembered that I had pulled this recipe out of the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens while waiting for an oil change on our Prius one Friday afternoon with Billy. I was hoping to make it for Thanksgiving to go in my stuffing recipe but it never happened. But I had to use up the rest of those purees and thought about this recipe, and you’ll never guess what I did with the corn bread… I used it to make corn bread croutons for Black Bean Soup! I’ll give you the recipe the way it’s written and then off to the side tell you what I used, mine is actually vegan. Enjoy.
-Pumpkin Corn Bread-
6 T. butter (I used Earth Balance Butter)
2 c. cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill Coarse Cornmeal, I like the texture)
1/3 sugar (I used Agave Nectar)
2 T. masa harina or corn flour (I used whole wheat flour, it’s just what I had)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 c. buttermilk (I used soymilk)
1 8-oz carton sour cream (I used 1/2 c. Tofutti Sour Cream)
1 egg lightly beaten (I used egg replacer)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (I used a mixture of the leftover carrot and sweet potato/yam puree)
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Generously brush a 12 inch cast iron skillet with 2 T. butter (I used my bread pan put you could also just use a square pan) they also suggest using 22 muffin tin cups. But if using the muffin tins only cook 8-10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine cornmeal, sugar, masa harina, baking powder and soda, salt and pumpkin spice. In another bowl combine remaining butter, buttermilk, sour cream, egg and pumpkin; whisk into cornmeal mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean, cook on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped butter. (Or make croutons like me )

Outdoor Table for Two- Kale and Sausage

06 Saturday Mar 2010

Posted by in breakfast, vegan

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So we’ve added something savory, and naughty to our breakfast routine… Kale and ‘Sausage’. Really for breakfast? Yes! I’m always striving to balance our meals in a healthy way, and since our yummy hot cereal is sweet this savory addition is another way for us to up our veggie count for the day plus a little added protein to balance the potential carb overload. So when I say ‘Sausage’ I’m talking about a new product I’ve come across from a company called Field Roast, there an artisan vegan meat company. All there product are made from vegetable protein, I like the Smoked Apple Sausages.
-Kale and Sausage
1 link Field Roast Smoked Apple Sausage, cut into small bite size pieces
1 bunch Kale, take leaves off the stem and cut up into smaller pieces
olive oil
salt and pepper
small wedge lemon
1. Start by heating oil over medium heat in a saute pan, when oil is hot toss in sausage and start sauting.
2. When sausage has started to brown add the chopped kale and begin to saute. Toss often until wilted but still bright in color.
3. When wilted enough for you, season with salt and pepper and and the juice of some lemon.
4. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Sweet Tooth- Peanut Butter Cups

24 Sunday Jan 2010

Posted by in dessert, vegan

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When the new year is upon us it gives us this little extra incentive to better the places in our lives where we can improve. For some of us that might be traveling more, taking more time for ourselves, and maybe possibly eating better. I bet it’s safe to say that eating right is the number one place in our lives we resolve to be better. That’s what happened at our house this year, for the most part we do really well, but my sweet loving man has a major sweet tooth. So much so that if I ask him to run to the store he can’t help but stop by the bulk candy section, and then tries to unwrap the candies in the pocket of his sweat shirt to not get caught. Seriously. I finally had a come to Jesus talk with him and my mom about there love affair with Red Vines, these two were like animals when it came to this crap, double fisting it. Sorry but candy is not supposed to be an everyday treat, and my sweet husband was partaking in the candy dish at work EVERYDAY! So when January 1 rolled around I asked him to give up sugar for thirty days. I wasn’t sure if he could do it the first week he came home with a headache, damn withdrawals. He stayed strong and as far as I know he’s been on the straight and narrow. But I didn’t want him to feel deprived, all things in moderation, so I thought I would offer him some healthy, creative, responsible alternatives, after all I love that man of mine and I want him to remember where the sweet love resides… at home! So this next is one of the alternatives we have been enjoying.
This first one comes from one of the new cookbooks I got for Christmas,’The Kind Diet’, by Alicia Silverstone. I was so impressed with this cookbook, it gives options for where ever you are on you conscious eating journey. Billy can’t keep his hands off these. Enjoy.
-Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups- a.k.a. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
1/2 c. Earth Balance butter
3/4 c. crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares
1/4 c. maple sugar, (I used agave nectar)
1 c. grain sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
1/4 c. soy, rice or nut milk (I used soymilk)
1/4 c. chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts
1. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners, set aside.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar or agave, mix well and remove from the heat.
3. Divide the mixture, about 2 T. per cup among the muffin cups.
4. Combine the chocolate and milk in a small saucepan over low-med heat, stir until chocolate starts to melt. Turn off heat and continue to stir until completely melted.
5. Spoon chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture and top with chopped nuts.
6. Place in the fridge to set for at least two hours before serving.

Cosmo Hippie Chef Recipe Alert- Raw Buckwheat Cereal

17 Sunday Jan 2010

Posted by in breakfast, Uncategorized, vegan

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This recipe comes from my good friend Gwen, she is always sharing her new finds in the healthy food world. I was looking for something new, fast, healthy and portable for breakfast during the week for Billy and I, this hit the mark. It’s probably going to be new for you, it was new for us but we love it.

-Raw Buckwheat Cereal-

1/4 c. buckwheat groats (I find these in the bulk section of Whole Foods or Good Earth)
1-2 tsp. sunflower seeds
1-2 tsp. gogi berries

Place all these ingredients in some kind of container with a lid. Fill the container with water just above the ingredients and place the lid on and soak overnight. In the morning drain off the water trying not to spill out the ingredients, rinse 2-3 times with fresh water and drain again. When you’ve drained all the water off top with these ingredients. Enjoy!

1/4. soy, hemp, rice or nut milk
1 T. pure maple syrup, or agave nectar
1-2 tsp. pumpkin seeds
2 T. coconut flakes
a pinch of nutmeg
a shake of cinnamon
1/2 banana

When strawberries and raspberries are in season I use those with or instead the banana.

Happy Halloween- Apple Cider/Pumpkin Seeds

09 Monday Nov 2009

Posted by in Drinks, Snack, vegan

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I know it is a little late for Halloween recipes but these are fun through the fall and into the winter. These two recipes are the request of my sweetie, we always have a Halloween party with our friends that have kids but since the kids were questionably sick we canceled last minute and partied with ourselves. But of course my sweet Bill has to have his ‘treats’. I hope you enjoy these as much as he does.

-Apple Cider-
6 c. apple juice
1/4 c. maple syrup or agave nectar
2 cinnamon sticks
6-8 whole cloves
2 oranges, sliced in rounds
2 1/4 c. pineapple juice
1. I place all these ingredients in a large pot or a crock pot, turn on low and let simmer until warmed through.
2. Ladle into mugs and ENJOY!
-Pumpkin Seeds-
1 1/2 T. melted butter or olive oil
2 c. raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic salt
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. paprika, chili powder
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1. Preheat oven to 275 F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly and place on a lined (parchment paper) cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cool and place in a bowl to share. Enjoy

Garlic Broth

20 Sunday Sep 2009

Posted by in soup, vegan

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This recipe came from the cook book I found in our second cabin in Manzanita. It’s called ‘Sweet Basil, Garlic, Tomatoes and Chive’s’ (Shaw 1992), I ordered it the second we got home because I made this soup twice while in Manzanita and once since we’ve been home. This one is sure to be a staple in our house when it gets cold and the benefits of garlic are a mile long, I’ll share some of those benefits at the bottom of the recipe.

-Garlic Broth-

(I double this recipe when making it for two)

2 c. water (I use vegetable stock or broth)
6 cloves of garlic
2 fresh sage leaves, minced
2 t. good olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

*optional* I use fresh tomatoes pureed (equaling about a cup or more), and then add to the mixture.

1. Bring the water (or broth) to a boil along with the garlic, and simmer until the garlic is soft, about another 20 minutes. Add the sage and keep simmering about another 20 minutes.
2. Turn off heat, spoon out the garlic and smash on cutting board with the back of a knife, if you have a mortar and pestle that would work great. Mash the garlic with the olive oil, grinding it into a paste.
3. Stir the garlic paste back into the broth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

*Variations* For a richer soup grind 2 T. of grated Parmesan cheese into the mashed garlic along with the olive oil in step 2. And/or grind a raw egg yolk into the garlic along with the olive oil. And/or at step 3 add 2 ounces angel hair pasta (I used quinoa pasta in mine) with the garlic paste, and cook until done. ENJOY!

*GARLIC, has a long history of use as an infection fighter. In fact it has been referred to as the ‘Russian Penicillin’ to denote it’s antibacterial properties. It’s antimicrobial activity is due to allicin. Allicin has been shown to be affective not only against common infections, such as colds, flu, stomach viruses and Candida yeast, but also against powerful pathogenic microbes, including tuberculosis and botulism. The beneficial effects of garlic are clearly quite extensive. Its use as a food should be encouraged, despite its odor, especially by those with elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, Candida infections, asthma, infections (particularly respiratory infections), and gastrointestinal complaints. For best flavor and health benefits, buy fresh garlic.

Sunday, Sunday- 10 Grain Hot Cereal

09 Thursday Jul 2009

Posted by in breakfast, Drinks, vegan

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I don’t know about you but I’m a very routine person, to my own default at times. I’m aware of it enough to know when it is time to shake things up. But Sunday’s is one of those days that our routine makes us feel complete. Food plays a big part of this, at our house we go through food phases that turn into routines for awhile. Recently we used to do fajitas night every Thursday and even my clients would ask ‘ you guys having fajitas tonight, it’s Thursday?’ So for the past couple month’s our Sunday breakfast is a steaming sweet bowl of 10 grain hot cereal, fresh squeezed orange/grapefruit/carrot juice, and of course a luscious chai latte. I think the reason our weekend breakfasts are so vital is because we don’t see each other during the week for that meal, so we really look forward to that time together. When we were dating we would pack up a breakfast picnic and go to the park, but now that we have our own house we enjoy our comfy couch or the deck in our back yard. I hope this recipe feels with you warmth and and love. Enjoy.

*Whole grains in your diet may reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases. Certain cancers especially gastrointestinal cancer. Heart disease: antioxidant’s contained in whole grains may work with fiber and other compounds to reduce your overall risk.
-Hot Cereal-
I buy Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Hot Cereal
1. We follow the directions on the back, but we split it in half. They suggest using water but we use soy milk or soy delicious coconut milk.
2. When it is done cooking we scoop into two bowls and top with sliced almonds, walnuts and a drizzle of agave syrup.* Agave syrup if you don’t know about it is like honey but it is a low glycemic  sweetener. That means it won’t raise your blood sugar it is natural and is 25% sweeter than sugar. It can also be used in place of sugar when baking, for every 1 cup of sugar in a recipe you only need 1/3 cup of agave. AWESOME, give it a try.
-Orange/Grapefruit/Carrot Juice-
This makes a fair amount of juice for two but I bet you could get 4 small servings.
8 oranges, peeled
4 grapefruit, peeled
6 carrots
1. We have a juicer so we juice all of these together and divide between glasses. If you have a good blender you could try it that way. You would probably want to strain it first and then divide between glasses.

Trying Again!- Quinoa Salad

20 Saturday Jun 2009

Posted by in appetizer, dressing, Snack, vegan

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It’s a rainy Saturday afternoon and I am just getting time to re-update from Monday Housewife Day. I didn’t sleep at all that night thinking about the fact that I wouldn’t be able to get back to this until now. Life was happening this week I’m moving locations of my job and finishing my enrollment and loan process for school, all of which I am very excited about. So thanks for being patient with me, I love that I have taken this step to share my food and local endeavors. So let’s get on with it. Monday Housewife Day used to frustrate me, I would get so worried that I was spending all this time in the kitchen and neglecting the rest of the house. I had to let it go and tell myself how lucky I was to be able get this time to devout to our health and well being, along with piece of mind that this part of our life is simple the rest of the week. Well enjoy these recipes and tomorrow’s blog will be all about Farmers Market. See you then.

–Quinoa Salad- Makes 6 1/2 c. servings

1 1/2 c. quinoa
2 1/4 c. water
2 T. liguid aminos or light soy sauce
zest and juice of one lemon
handful of scallions (green and white parts)

1. Place all of this in a medium sauce pan and turn oven on high. When this mixture begins to boil turn heat down to low and cover with a lid, cook for 10 to 15 minutes until liquid absorbs. When done take lid off and let cool.

In the mean time prepare all the other ingredients.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 to 1 c. edamame, cook according to directions, drain and cool
1 and 1/2 cucumbers, diced
1 package brocco sprouts or any other sprouts

2. When the quinoa is cooled get ready to layer. In six containers start with 1/2 c. of quinoa in each container. Next add the sprouts and then layer the rest of the vegetables. Put on lids and and place in the fridge.

* If you haven’t tried quinoa give it a try it has a fun texture like couscous. It’s a super grain that the Inca’s have been eating for centuries, and it’s a complete protein and gluten free!

-Dressing- I divide this into 6 little containers ( just so the salad doesn’t get nasty by the end of the week)

2/3 c. lemon and or lime juice
2 T. liquid aminos or light soy sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. chili oil
pepper