Rosemary Baby Potatoes with Caramelized Shallots

This is an easy and quick recipe. The shallots smell so good when caramelizing and the rosemary is so fragrant. 

1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes
2 tbsp earth balance
5 small shallots, chopped
1 tsp sugar
Sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

In a sauce pan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes until almost tender. Drain and pat dry.
In a skillet, melt margarine over medium heat. Add the shallots, sprinkle with the sugar, and cook until softened and slightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add the paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with rosemary and continue cooking until the potatoes are coated and tender about 7 minutes.

Salad with Sesame Orange Dressing and Sugar Roasted Pecans

The tahini makes this dressing creamy and I love the flavour the sesame oil gives. Great over a salad to accompany sushi. I love adding the Sugar Roasted Pecans to my salad...if there are any left...so good.

Sesame Orange Salad Dressing
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 tahini
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/8 tsp cayenne
Combine all ingredients  until well blended. I use my handy dandy Herb N' Serve dressing maker.

 Sugar Roasted Pecans
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup water
Handful of Pecans
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a sacue pan bring the sugar and water to a boil. Add the pecans and stir. Turn down the temperature to medium. Continue cooking until all the sugar water is evaporated. Sprinkle the pecans on parchment paper on baking sheet. Bake for 5 - 10 minutes, careful not to burn. Let cool and crumble on salad.

Christmas Dinner

Merry Christmas Everyone.  Our Christmas Dinner was GREAT. All the dishes worked together sooooo well.

CRANBERRY SAUCE
(makes a lot)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup earth balance
2 tsp vinegar
2 large sweet onions, chopped
4 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup apple juice or apple cider
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup toasted pecans, broken into pieces

Cook and stir brown sugar, earth balance, and vinegar in a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add onions, cook, uncovered, over low heat for 12 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring often. Set aside.
Combine cranberries, raisins, apple juice, allspice, and cloves in a dutch oven. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in onion mixture and sugar. Return to boiling. Cook, uncovered 15 minutes more, stirring frequently. Remove for heat, add nuts.
When cooled down, refrigerate until needed or ladle mixture into half-pint containers, seal, label, and freeze up to 1 year.
I also used this sauce for an appy topped on a cracker with vegan cream cheeze. VERY GOOD.

OVEN BAKED STUFFING
10 pieces of bread (I used ancient grains with quinoa, kamut, barley etc)
1 cup carrots chopped
1 1/2 cups celery chopped
1/2 cup shallots chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 cups veggie broth
1 tbs soy sauce
1 1/2 tbs thyme
1/2 tbs oregano
2 1/2 tsp sage
1 1/2 tsp rosemary

- Saute shallots, onions, and garlic till translucent
-Add carrots & celery and soy sauce and cook till almost tender
- Remove from heat and add bread cubes, herbs and veggie broth
-Fold everything together until bread is soft and moist
-If not serving immediately put in a 8x8 casserole dish, cover with foil and cook for 30-35 minutes. If you want a crispy top remove foil for the last 5-10 minutes
I used fresh herbs and this stuffing was amazing!  Everyone (including omnivores) loved it.

SWEET POTATO AND APPLE GRATIN
1 cup water
3 tbsp vegan margarine
2 lbs yams, peeled and grated
1 large granny smith apple, peeled and cored, and grated
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp ground all spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp coarsely ground pecans
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large gratin dish or 10 inch square baking pan and set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tbsp of the margarine, stirring to melt. Add the yams, apple, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then spoon the mixture into the gratin dish.
Dot with the remaining margarine. Bake until firm and crisp around the edges, 50 - 60 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle with pecans. Serve immediately.
This recipe is a real hit and goes perfect with holiday dinners.

MASHED POTATOES WITH BROWN SAUCE 
I boil russet potatoes then mash with just a splash of almond milk seasoned with a little salt and pepper THEN topped with the Brown Sauce which is AMAZING.
 
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups veggy broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp soy sauce
In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery,and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the flour and stir constantly until the four is absorbed into the oil. Cook for another minute and add 1 cup of the broth.
When the mixture thickens, stir in the remaining 1 cup broth; the wine, tomato paste, basil, thyme, and soy sauce. Stir until the mixture becomes smooth. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Puree the sauce in the saucepan with an immersion blender. Serve hot.
This is one of my favourite sauces.
 
CREAMY CAULIFLOWER
I medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup almond milk
2 tbsp Earth Balance
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cayenne
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp minced fresh chives
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a casserole and set aside. Steam the cauliflower until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Rinse the cauliflower under cold water and drain well. Transfer the steamed cauliflower to a food processor. Add the almond milk and margarine and process until smooth. Add the salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and chives and puree until blended. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole and sprinkle with paprika. Bake until hot, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately
I love this dish, the cayenne pepper gives it a nice kick.

I also served steamed mixed veggies and brussel sprouts. For dessert I served Coconut Cream Cheeze Cake, the recipe is in past posts. It must of tasted great because there are hardly any leftovers!!  I don't have any pictures on the food I was too busy enjoying it.

Potato Artichoke Gratin with Spinach and Pine Nuts

Another GREAT recipe. I couldn't stop eating. The blend of potatoes with spinach and artichokes so very good. To top it off, rich pine nuts what a great combination.

1 15oz can artichoke hearts (not marinated)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups fresh baby spinach
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 cup coarsely ground pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 2 quart gratin dish or casserole. Cut the artichoke hearts into thin slices and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, spinach, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until the spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally about 2 minutes. Stir in basil, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Layer half of the potato slices in the prepared gratin dish. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the sliced artichokes, followed by the spinach mixture. Top with the remaining potatoes.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the broth and the nutritional yeast and stir until blended. Pour over the gratin. Sprinkle ground pine nuts on top and then drizzle eith the 1 tbsp remaining oil. Cover with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Daiya Cheese....My favourite sandwich ever!!

I am in heaven!  This ooey gooey sandwich is so good. I am thrilled that I finally found Daiya Cheese. I had it before in Vegan restaurants but could never find it.
MY FAV SANDWICH
I used 2 slices of weight watchers bread, daiya cheese, tomatoes, green onions, red pepper flakes, avocado and a little salt. I used earth balance margarine on the outside and grilled it on medium to medium low heat. It is amazing. 

Fresh Pasta with Pesto

Fresh pasta and pesto very good with a spicy garlic kick! Vampires watch out.

3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 rip plum tomatoes, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
Fresh Pasta

In a food processor, combine the garlic, pine nuts, and salt and process to a paste. Add the basil, tomatoes and pepper to taste and process until well blended. With the machine running, slowly stream in the oil. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water cook pasta until al dente. Transfer pasta to a large serving dish. Add the pesto toss gently to combine, serve immediately.

Baked Pasta with Broccoli

WOW another great recipe. I love the sauce, so good. The recipe calls for small shell pasta but I used organic Kamut & Quinoa pasta. Very very good.

Baked Pasta with Broccoli
1 medium bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut into small florets
8 oz small shell pasta
3 cups Mornay-Style Cheeze Sauce (recipe follows)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs (I used panko flakes)
1 tsp sweet paprika (I forgot to add this)

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 5 minutes before done add the broccoli to the same pot. Drain well and return to the pot. Add the Mornay sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently to combine, then spoon the mixture into a lightly oiled 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Top with the bread crumbs and paprika. Bake until bubbling and the top is lightly browned.

Mornay-Style Cheeze Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
2 tsps fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 cup soy milk (I used almond)

In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, cover and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. stir in the broth and nutritional yeast, turmeric, and salt and pepper and simmer, stirring, until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and cook, whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the blender and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice, mustard, and soy milk and blend until smooth. Taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary. Return the sauce to the saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring until hot.

Tahini Noodles

I love this dish!  WOW the mint is a great touch. Very good and really easy to make. The picture again doesn't not do it justice it is a very colourful dish.

1 roll of Soba buckwheat noodles

1/4 of a green cabbage head, shredded

2 carrots, shredded

1 stalk broccoli, florets only

1 handful fresh mint, chopped

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Mint for garnish

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the noodles, cabbage, carrots and broccoli. Cook for 8 minutes. Drain add tahini sauce, toss and add mint just before serving.

Tahini Sauce

1/4 cup tahini sauce

2 tbsp tamari

3 tbsp water

1 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp chile sauce

1 tsp dijon

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together, tasting to adjust if needed.



Potato Asparagus Soup

The potatoes make this soup very creamy. I didn't have any dill for garnish. But I bet that would taste good. Nice warm comfort food. Mmmmm.

3lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch chunks
1lb asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
4 cups veg broth
lemon juice
chopped fresh dill

Place potatoes in a stockpot and cover with cold water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Add the asparagus, boil for 3 minutes, drain, and set aside.
Rinse out the pot, then in the same pot saute the onion in the olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes; add the garlic, salt and black pepper, and saute 2 minutes more. Add the broth and boil for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and asparagus, heat through, then puree 3/4's of the soup. Add a squeeze of lemon and garnish with fresh dill.

Korean Dumplings

These vegetable dumplings are really good. We found them in the frozen section of our Korean Market. I made a dip of tamari, green onion and red pepper flakes.  Another good sauce would be tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, agave, and chile sauce.

Mmmmm Curried 'egg' salad

So mmm good. I made this before so the recipe is in a previous post. What a great lunch. I didn't have any lettuce or tomato or I would of added that to the sandwich. It would probably be better in a whole wheat pita but I only had Weight Watchers whole wheat bread on hand. The recipe calls for mango chutney...my favourite, that recipe also in a previous post. Now I am looking for other recipes where I can use the rest of the chutney.

Korean Sweet Potatoes ~ Quick Spicy Opo Squash

We went to the local Korean market today and like always picked out 2 veggies that we never had before. The first one was Korean Sweet Potatoes. I boiled them then tossed them with some orange marmalade and microwaved. Very good. Next time I will bake them.

I cut up the Opo and stir fried it with onions. Spiced it with salt, pepper, cumin and turmeric. The recipe called for tomatoes, I didn't have any so I added tomato paste and water. Simmered for about 25 minutes, added a handful of cilantro and served it on top of sweet potato vermicelli.

Pasta with Cashew Cream Mmmmm

I cooked up some buckwheat soba noodles added steamed swiss chard, shredded carrots and some cashew cream. Top with freshly ground black pepper. WOW so so very good.

Cashew Cream
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp salt
cayenne pepper
Blend until smooth.

Almond Soup with Cardamom served with roasted Veggies

The roasted organic Potatoes and Carrots were great. Tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and thyme. I cook them at 425 degrees for about 20 - 30 minutes.
The soup is unusual, its rich and makes an elegant start to an Indian meal. I really like it....love cardamom.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium russet potato, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 cups veggie broth
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds, for garnish

In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, potato, and bell pepper. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, cardamom, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Add the almond butter and puree in the pot with an immersion blender. Reheat over medium heat until hot.
Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the almonds and serve.

Angel Hair Pasta with Olive Oil and Garlic

Wow this is so good and so easy to make. Next time I might add red pepper flakes or some veggies. But plain it is so good. Pictured here with the Curried Chickpea Patties (recipe in previous post)

1/2 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound angel hair pasta

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add the garlic and about 1/2 tsp of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to brown the garlic. Add 1 cup of the hot pasta water and simmer over medium heat until the liquid reduces a bit. Keep warm over very low heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the sauce, season with salt to taste, and fresh black pepper. Toss gently to combine and serve immediately.

Curried Chickpea Patties

I love curry. These patties are made with curry plus they are served with a curry mayo.

3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup wheat gluten flour
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup veganaise
Bread or rolls of choice
Lettuce leaves
1 ripe tomato, sliced

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp of the curry powder, salt, and cayenne and remove from the heat.
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, parsley, wheat gluten, bread crumbs and the cooked onions. Process to combine, leaving some texture.
Form the chickpea mixture into 4 equal patties and set aside.
In a skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the patties, cover, and cook until golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 tsp of curry with the veganaise, stirring to blend. Spread the curried veganaise on the bread. Top with the patties, lettuce, and tomato slices.

Bulgur with apples

This is good. It would be a good breakfast dish but I wanted some comfort food for dinner.
Bring 3/4 cup water to boil. Add 1/3 cup bulgur, half a cut up apple, cinnamon and a little bit cardamom. Cook for about 10 - 20 minutes. Add toasted pecans, almond milk and maple syrup.

My goal is a 1/2 marathon

My goal is to do a 1/2 marathon in 2012. I am training first for a bunch of 10k's in 2011. I am tracking my progress (on this blog)  under the page "I am training for a 10k"

Carrot Soup with Ginger

Carrot recipe #3.  SOUP. Everyone loves it!  The cayenne gives it a nice kick. Very good. I sprinkled green onions and black sesame seeds on top!! 

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs carrots, chopped
1 medium yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
Salt
5 cups veg broth
Ground cayenne
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots, potato, ginger, and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broth and cayenne to taste, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are soft, 30 - 40 minutes.
Puree the soup mixture. Reheat until hot. Stir in lemon and taste, adjust seasonings if necessary. Ladle into bowls, garnish with chives and serve.

Cardamom Carrots with Orange

Cardamom is my new favourite spice. Wow. I don't like cooked carrots but this recipe is GREAT.

1 lb carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tbsp finely grated orange zest
Salt
Ground cayenne

Steam the carrots until tender, about 7 minutes.
In a large skillet, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the carrots, orange zest and cardamom and season with salt and cayenne to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavours are blended, about 2 minutes.

Carrot Tzimmes

Carrot recipe #2.  Carrot Tzimmes. A traditional Jewish  dish. This is good. Mmmmmm

1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 pound carrots, shredded
1 medium yam, peeled and shredded
2 tbsp sugar (I use agave)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup fresh, yes fresh!, orange juice
1 cup finely chopped fresh, yes fresh!, pineapple
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 inch square baking pan.
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the carrots, yams, sugar, and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Stir in the orange juice, pineapple, raisins, and cinnamon and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, about 45 minutes.

Carrot Pudding, YES I said, Carrot Pudding

I got a whole bunch of organic carrots from one of my favourite people is this world (my co-worker who is the executive chef) so I need to come up with some creative ways to use them. This is really good and sweet.

CARROT PUDDING
3 medium-size carrots, grated
1/3 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups almond milk
few drops vanilla
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons tapioca  (I used arrow root)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook over low
heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the carrots are soft
and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Transfer about half the mixture to a blender. Blend until smooth, and then
return the blended mixture to the pan, stirring it back into the unblended
half. Serve warm or chilled.

veggies in my fridge

I love VEGGIES. For dinner tonight I stir fried: onions, garlic, ginger, cabbage, shredded zuchinni, shredded carrot, spinach. Added: salt, pepper, cayenne, turmeric. It looks so beautiful and I topped it with roasted pumpkin seeds for protein. One ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds has 8.46 grams of protein.

Baked Lotus Root Chips

These are so good. I love the look of them.

Peel the lotus root. Cut it into thin discs (1/8 inch thick) using a mandoline or sharp knife. Soak it in a mixture of water plus a couple teaspoons lemon juice for a few minutes. Pat it dry.
Preheat the oven to 450 F and put a pot of water to boil.
When the water comes to a boil, salt it and drop the discs in. Switch off the flame after four minutes. Put the discs on a tea towel to drain and place another tea towel on top.
As they are drying, put 2 tablespoons oil on an UNLINED baking sheet. A baking sheet should take 25-30 discs.

Add some salt and cayenne (chilli powder) to the oil, mix it together.
Add the lotus root discs to the oil mix and gently coat them. Spread them on the sheet and bake for 20-22 minutes, turning them once midway.
The tastiest ones, we found, are crisp on the outside and slightly chewy inside. So try not to cut them paper thin, or to dry them out completely while baking.

Steamed Artichoke with Balsamic Mayo

Why did I only buy one artichoke? I forgot how great steam artichokes were. Yum EEEE

Wash, rinse and clean the artichoke. Cut on the tips of the leaves off. Slice about 3/4 inch of the top off. Steam for 20 - 35 minutes until tender. Peel the leaves off and dip in mayo. Mmmm. My favorite part is the heart, saved for last. Add a few drops of balsamic vinegar to veganaise. Stir and then start dipping.

Chocolate Mint Tea WOW!!

Thanks Megan for the chocolate mint leaves! She grows them on her balcony and gave me some. How organic, unprocessed can you get? I can't wait to start my herb garden next year. I crushed up the dried mint leaves and seeped them in hot water. I add a tiny bit agave syrup but I don't think I will need to next time. Yummy! The best tea ever.

I feel GREAT! Good Morning Pancakes!!!

Saturday morning I'm up early and feeling fantastic, free, happy and ready to take on the world BUT I need to start with a warm satisfying breakfast. I made Spiced Apple Pancakes and the house smells so good. They are great, the apple topping is TOPS.

Spiced Apple Pancakes
3 tbsp earth balance
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices (I used Gala because I'm a gal ha ha)
4 tbsp sugar (I used agave syrup)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (always!! fresh)
1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp all spice (I didn't have)
1/4 maple syrup
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used organic oat flour)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (I used more because I'm from dutch heritage)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups almond milk
oil for frying

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the earth balance over medium heat. Add the apples, 2 tbsp of the sugar, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp of the allspice. Cook, stirring, to soften the apples. Add the maple syrup and keep warm over low heat.
In a bowl, combine the four, the remaining 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, nutmeg and salt.
Combine the milk and 2 tbsp melted earth balance. Blend until smooth. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and blend.
Heat a a thin layer of oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Pour in about 1/4 cup  of batter. Cook until small bubbles appear on the top, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook until the second side is browned.
Serve topped with the apple mixture.

Potato and Kale Soup

I had a big bunch of kale and decided to make kale chips (recipe in previous posts) and soup. This is a great autumn soup. If you want it to be more substantial add some great northern beans.

1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups veg broth
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (I used more)
1 bay leaf
Salt
4 cups chopped stemmed kale

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, bay leaf, and salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Stir in the kale and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Spicy Indian Cauliflower

YES it is spicy!  I love it. Very very good. It would be perfect on a bed of rice. Think I will try that for my lunch tomorrow. I took this picture with my phone, it was red not brown.

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup pureed tomatoes
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1 tsp sugar (I used a bit of agave)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Steam the cauliflower until just tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Do not burn.
Stir in the tomatoes, coriander, cumin, cayenne, sugar, and salt.
Add the steamed cauliflower and cook, stirring until the cauliflower is coated with the spice mixture. add a small amount of water if the mixture is too dry. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Coconut ``Cheese`` Cake

I can't believe how great this 'cheese' cake is. The texture is perfect. Next time I will use a graham wafer crust instead of the vanilla wafers. They are a bit too sweet.

1 1/2 cups vegan vanilla cookie crumbs
1 cup toasted shredded coconut
1/4 cup earth balance margarine, melted
3 (8oz) containers vegan cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Place the crumbs and 1/4 cup of the coconut in the bottom of the pan, add the margarine, and mix with a fork to blend. Press crumb mixture into bottom and sides of pan and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch, coconut extract, and vanilla and blend until smooth.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for another 10 minutes.

Remove cake from the oven and cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. When ready to serve, sprinkle the top with the remaining toasted coconut. Keep refrigerated.

Is it Bulgar or Bulgur? Bulgur and Pumpkin Pilaf

Still on my pumpkin kick. I like this recipe but it needs some veggies. When I heat up the left overs I will add some onion, zuchini  and kale. Does it look like a piece of KFC??  lol

2 tsp oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups pumpkin (canned)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
2 tsp curry powder
1 cup bulgur
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Heat oil in sauce pan add the onion, pumpkin, and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is tender. Add bulgur, stir to mix, Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

Is there anything better than Naam??

 fettucini supremo

Again the picture doesn't do it justice. It is daiya cheese with gucamole bean sprouts on vegan naam bread and it is the best thing I have ever eaten. So creamy and good. Shredded carrots and beets on the side.

And of course a big cookie for dessert. Mine is a vegan ginger cookie.

PUMPKIN Oh Yeah

I love pumpkin, pumpkin soup, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin smoothies BUT I had the BEST pumpkin today....filled with flowers. What a BIG surprise...they are so beautiful...I think it's the first time I had flowers sent to me by a man! Wow so nice!

Fried Green Tomatoes with Peanut Sauce

I liked the movie so I thought I would try the dish. Very easy to make and very good. I need to get some more tomatoes because I want more.

3/4 cup of crumbs, I used gluten free bread crumbs, panko would work too or just plain bread crumbs
3 firm green tomatoes, cut into slices
3 tbsp oil (I use coconut oil)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp creamy almond butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sugar (I use agave)
1/8 tsp cayenne
Dip the tomato slices in the crumbs, turning to coat.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the tomato slices. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once, until crisp on both sides, about 8 minutes total.
In a small saucepan, combine the almond butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and cayenne, stirring to dissolve the sugar and warm the sauce. Drizzle the sauce over the tomato slices and serve immediately.

Pumpkin Ravioli WOW WOW WOW

I am so proud - I made pasta from scratch AND it turned out! It is one of the  best dishes I ever had. The pumpkin in the ravioli was....words can't describe how great, then mixed with the caramelized onions....oh wow.

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup extra-firm tofu, well drained and crumbled
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Egg-Free Pasta Dough (recipe follows)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup peas, thawed

Use paper towel to blot excess liquid from the pumpkin and the tofu, then combine in a food processor with the nutritional yeast, parsley, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Roll out the pasta dough thinly on a floured surface. Cut the dough into 2 inch wide strips. Place 1 heaping tsp of the stuffing onto 1 pasta strip, about 1 inch from the top. Place another tsp of filling on the pasta strip, about an inch below the first spoonful of filling. Repeat along the entire length of the dough strip. Lightly wet the edges of the dough with water and place a second strip of pasta on top of the first one, covering the filling. Press the two layers of dough together between the portions of filling. Use a knife to trim the sides of the dough to make it straight, then cut across the dough in between each mound of filling to make square ravioli. Use the tines of a fork to press along the edges of the dough to seal the ravioli. Transfer the ravioli to a floured plate and repeat with remaining dough. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown but not burned. Stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over very low heat.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the ravioli until they float to the top, about 5 minutes. Drain well and transfer to the pan with the shallots and peas. Cook for a minute or two to mingle the flavours, then transfer to a large serving bowl. Season with lots of pepper and serve immediately.

EGG-FREE PASTA DOUGH
2 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup hot water
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the oil. Pour in 1/2 cup of the water and stirring with a fork, gradually incorporate the flour into the liquid. Add additional water if needed to make a stiff dough.
When the dough is pliable, and not sticky knead it on a lightly floured work surface until smooth, about 2 - 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes. The dough is now ready to roll out and cut per recipe instructions.

Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce

Mmmm another great sauce.
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsps minced green onions
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
Combine all ingredients until well blended. Set aside at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Taste great with chick'n strips.

Sesame-Cilantro Scallion Pancakes

This is a good recipe and I love dipping the wedges in Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce. I think next time I will make them a bit thicker.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tbsp black sesame seeds
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp sesame oil
oil for frying

In a bowl, combine the flour, green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and salt. Add the water and sesame oil and mix to form dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into circles, about 1/4 inch thick.
Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet on medium heat. Fry the pancakes in batches until golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while you cook the rest, adding more oil as needed. To serve, cut the pancakes into wedges and serve hot.

Carrots and Parsnips with Apple

This recipe is ok but next time will be great. Next time I will double the apple mixture and when all the ingredients are mixed,  I will mash them.

1 lb carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices
1 lb parsnips, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices
1 tbsp olive oil
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steam the carrots and parsnips until just tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the apple, maple syrup, lemon juice, and nutmeg. cover and cook until the apple is softened, about 4 minutes.
Add the steamed carrots and parsnips and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently to mix well and heat through. Serve immediately.

Cutlets marinated in Tamari-Dijon Sauce

I love the flavour of these patties and they fry up very nice.

Tamari-Dijon Marinade
In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth.
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Cutlets
6 oz firm tofu, drained and crumbled
3 tbsp shoyu
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup wheat gluten flour
olive oil

Combine everything but the oil in a food processor. Process until well mixed. Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts and make very thin patties. Heat the oil over medium in skillet, add the cutlets and cook until nicely browned.  Serve immediately(or they turn rubbery) top with your favourite sauce.
* I marinated them before I cooked them in the Tamari-Dijon sauce. Then after 30 minutes fried them up.

Roasted Broccoli

Preheat oven to 425. In a bowl combine broccoli stems that have been washed and dried completely, one garlic clove sliced, some salt and olive oil. Mix and roast in oven for about 20 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle on some nutritional yeast. Very good!