Leek Soup

What a great winter soup. So creamy.

• 2 cups leeks, trimmed and sliced
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 3  large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup rice milk
• 2 tbsp. vegan margarine
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• sea salt, pepper, to taste

 

1. Heat margarine in large stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks and onions and cook for 5-7 minutes. 
2. Add potatoes, herbs, salt, pepper and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Transfer soup to a blender, add rice milk and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. 
4. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with warm crusty French bread.

Leek and Mushroom Bake

YUMMY and Wendy liked it too!!! 

puff pastry

coconut oil for frying

1 large leek, chopped into small pieces

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

20 mushrooms, washed and sliced

1 thick celery stick, chopped

1 cup cashew nuts – process with 2 cups water

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp vegetable bouillon

salt to taste

 

First fry your leeks and celery in the oil in a large saucepan for a couple of minutes or so, until slightly transparent.
Then stir in the mushrooms and garlic, and lower the heat.  Stirring every minute or so, until the mushrooms yield their juices.
Next, add the remaining ingredients, except for the cashew cream.
Make sure your veggies are totally cooked, then add your cream a little at a time.
Keep a low heat setting, allow the filling to thicken a little, and then add the remaining cream – again allowing it to simmer until it thickens.
Taste for salt, then allow your filling to cool down.  Meanwhile go and roll out your dough on a clean surface.
Use one medium sized dish if and grease your dish  roll out your pastry, and place the pastry in  (leaving enough dough for the lids).
Add in the filling on top, then cut the remaining dough to size to fit on top – any extra pastry can be put on the surface as a decoration.  Then brush on some soy milk. 
Place in a preheated 350ºF (180ºC) oven until golden –  for 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye on them – when they turn golden, they are ready

Yam Bites

 

 

Yams are one of my favourite things to eat. I love the spice combo on these.

 

4 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes

1 T extra-virgin coconut oil, melted

pinch cloves

pinch cumin

dash of cayenne

pinch ginger

pinch sea salt

dash ground black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a baking sheet, toss all ingredients.

Bake for 35 - 60 minutes.

 

Pear Salad with Avocado

All my favourite things....a taste explosion.
Another WOW recipe

2 ripe avocados
1/3 cup macadamias
2 Anjou pears
Lemon juice
Freshly grated black pepper
Sea salt

Coarsely chop the macadamia nuts.
Peel and chop the avocado in cubes then toss with lemon juice.
Peel the pears and chop in cubes the same size.
Gently mix all the ingredients and add sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.

Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls

Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls  

Ingredients

• 1 cup puffed quinoa
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 3-4 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, syrup and vanilla. If the mixture is too firm, heat it up on the stove a little bit.
2. Add the puffed quinoa  and stir to combine.
3. Place mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes to let it firm up.
4. Remove from fridge, roll into 12 balls, and return to fridge for 15 minutes before serving.
5. Optional: dip some or all of the balls in dark chocolate.

 

White Bean Mash with Roasted Veggies

This recipe is low carb but still very filling by adding the bean mash. I love roasted veggies.

1 red pepper, deseeded and quartered
1 eggplant, sliced lengthways
2 zucchinis, sliced lengthways
2 tbsp olive oil

1 can white kidney beans
1 garlic clove, crushed
100ml or 1/3 cup veg stock
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
freshly squeezed lemon juice

Toss the veggies with oil then roast the veggies in hot oven (400-425) until lightly browned. Put the beans in a small pan with the garlic and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Mash roughly with a potato masher, adding a little water if too dry.  Put the mash on the serving plate, top with veggies and drizzle any leftover oil. Sprinkle with black pepper and cilantro and a few squeezes of fresh lemon.

Vegan "bacon"?

Wow smoky goodness!!!!  What at great recipe. Perfect for a blt! So good.

1 lb eggplant, cut into 1/8 strips
1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tsp liquid smoke
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice the halves into 1/8 inch thick halfmoons. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil or more if needed. Bake for 8 minutes rotating pan about halfway through.Remove from oven, flip slices and bake for another 3 minutes or so.  Eggplant should be dark brown to burnt in some places.
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Mix the tamari and liquid smoke. Dip eggplant slices in mixture and return to baking sheet. Bake for at least another 3 minutes or until heated through.

Spinach and Lemon Quinoa Bake

Another way to eat my favourite  - Quinoa Sooooo good

2 cups cooked quinoa
coconut oil
2 tbsp flax seed mixed with 4 tbsp warm water and blended (let sit for at least 5 minutes)
1 medium onion
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch spinach
1 cup vegan sour cream
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish with coconut oil.
In a large medium mixing bowl, process flax seed and water.
Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a medium pan. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add thyme, rosemary, and the red pepper flakes, add spinach and sauté until just wilted. Remove from heat and transfer to the flax mixture.
Add quinoa, sour cream, lemon zest, pepper and nutritional yeast to the spinach-onion mixture, and stir until well combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 60 minutes, or until set and the edges are brown. Let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Borscht

Yum Yum Yum

2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 medium beets, peeled and diced
3 cups veg broth
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp fresh dill
1 can white kidney beans
vegan sour cream for garnish

Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté onions and cook until softened. Add the beets and sauté for 5 more minutes.
Add broth, cover the pot and simmer until the beets are tender, about 35 minutes.
Stir in the beans and cook for another 5 minutes.
Season with lemon juice, salt, pepper and dill.
Let the soup cool down a bit and puree with an immersion blender.
Serve soup garnished with sour cream and fresh dill. Serve hot or cold.