Almond Pate in Cabbage Leaves

I have had a few requests for this recipe, so here it is. When we created it, we kind of tasted and added as we went along, and I geared it toward what was tasting good to my children (they love nutritional yeast!, and parsley) so taste as you go and adjust anything to your own liking. Pate's served with things to dip in them (like veggies, whole grain crackers, etc.) are really great for kids, and a good way to sneak in some good nutrition.

Almond, Parsley, and Pea Pate

What you Need:

1 cup pre soaked almonds (this is optional, but it germinates the almonds and increases nutrition while making them easier on digestion.) I measured the almonds after soaking them

1 clove of garlic

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional, or you can use less to your own liking, my kids like it a lot, it makes the pate have a cheesier flavor, and it adds lots of good b vitamins in)

1/2 cup frozen thawed peas

4 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes

1 cup (large handful) of Italian flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup-3/4 cup of water

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

pinch of sea salt and pepper, if needed

To Make:

In a food processor, add the almonds, garlic, Sun dried tomatoes , parsley, nutritional yeast, vinegar and peas and pulse for a minute to mix well. Then add water in while motor is running until consistency desired. We like ours kind of like hummus textured. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste if needed, and adjust any other seasonings to taste. Put a little pate in a lettuce leaf or a cabbage leaf, and then top with carrots, or any other veggies you want. Kids really do love things to dip!

The salad dressing they show in the video that they love is called Balsamic Sauce by the Follow Your Heart Brand. If you can find it at your health food store (in the cold section) it is amazing!

Globe Artichokes in Lemon and Garlic Olive Oil

Your man will fall in love with you all over again if you make this dish for him...

I'm speaking from experience here!
It really is true that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!

Right now artichokes are in season, and I think they are one of those things we tend to pass on by when doing our shopping. But they could not be easier to make, and when served with a simple, delicate and full flavored sauce, it doesn't get any better!
Add some fresh herbs very finely minced to the sauce if your feeling fancy! That would be so delicious too!



Globe Artichokes with Lemon and Garlic Olive Oil

inspiration for this dish came from this girl

What You Need:
4 globe artichokes, rinsed and the prickly top part cut off.

Steam artichokes in a little salted water until tender and soft. Remove from water and place on a towel to drain any excess water and let cool a few minutes. The steaming process takes about 25 minutes or so. Check the leaves while they steam for tenderness.

For the Lemon and Garlic Olive Oil:
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 small or 1 large garlic clove, zested or very finely minced
pinch of sea salt and pepper
3-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Zest and juice one lemon. Then zest 2 small or 1 large garlic cloves into the lemon juice. Add a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Then drizzle in about 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive, whisking continuously until combined.



Serve each artichoke with a little of the sauce underneath.

Raw Sweet Vanilla Almond Milk

There are some fabulous milk alternatives out there to buy, like hempseed milk, coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, etc., but nothing can compare to the rich, smooth, creamy sweetness that is my homemade raw creamy vanilla almond milk. It is so decadent and delicious and heavenly tasting, and it's loaded with so much nutrition.

Everything about this milk is so nourishing and good for your body! It is really easy to make too! I have perfected the recipe over the years with my families health and nutritional needs in mind, and this is the milk that my children (and whole family) have thrived on!

It is not mandatory that you have a nutmilk bag to make this (you could use a cheesecloth), but it will make your life so much easier and they are really cheap to buy. I have tried many, but my very favorite nut milk bags can be purchased here. I would definitely recommend getting one!

Soaking your nuts beforehand
Soaking your nuts and seeds before consuming them helps to remove the enzyme inhibitors, and makes them even easier to digest. This germinating process increases the life and vitality contained within the nut and literally makes it a superfood for your body, making them rich in active enzymes, quality protein, fats, and vitamins, and they contain fiber! It is life giving milk!

To soak and germinate almonds:
place almonds in a large bowl and fill with fresh clean filtered water. Let sit at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Rinse the almonds 2-3 times very well before using.


Raw Sweet Vanilla Almond Milk

What you need:

1/2 cup of almonds soaked for 8 hours or overnight, and rinsed several times really well

4 cups of clean fresh filtered water

3 medjool dates, pitted, or 2 Tbsp, agave nectar (or you can use 1-2 packets of stevia)

1 Tbsp. raw extra virgin coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp hempseed protein powder (optional) but I add it in lots of the time

pinch of sea salt


To Make:
Soak 1/2 cup almonds overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse several times. Place almonds in a blender and add 4 cups of clean filtered water. Blend for about 2 minutes, then turn blender off for a few minutes, then blend again for 2 more minutes. Using a nutmilk bag or cheesecloth (nutmilk bag highly recommended!), pour almond milk mixture into the nutmilk bag over a large bowl to strain. Squeeze out as much o the liquid as you can. Rinse blender out with a little water. Pour almond milk back into blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend for several minutes You can strain the mixture one more time for extra smoothness if you want.

Pour into a glass jar and store in refrigerator for 4-5 days.



Benefits of some of the ingredients in the milk.

Hempseed is a complete protein, contains over 20 trace minerals, and is high in essential fatty acids which makes it a great alternative to eating fish, which has rising mercury levels, and PCB contamination. It is considered one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. This can sufficiently address the protein needs of a vegetarian/vegan. Hempseed contains all of the essential fatty acids and essential amino acids to maintain healthy human life. This is one of natures richest sources of complete protein. You can purchase our favorite hempseed protein powder here.

Raw organic extra virgin coconut oil (cold pressed) helps improve digestion, immune system, has natural anti-viral/anti-fungal properties (helping to naturally fight off fungal overgrowth, viruses and bacteria). Contains medium chain fats that improve and are healing to thyroid functions, and increases the speed of the thyroid, helping many to lose unwanted excess weight. Helps to speed the metabolism, maintain healthy hormone production, and contains the kind of saturated fats we need and want (not animal derived!) that protect and improve cardiovascular health, skin, and nervous system! I could go on and on...they are amazing for you. You can purchase good coconut oil here for a good price

Dates-I love to sweeten with dates. They are a whole food in their natural state, high in fiber,very high in potassium, contain b complex vitamins, help with constipation, intestinal disorders, have been known to help cure some abdominal cancers. They have so much to offer in place of sugar! For a fun treat (one of my favorites) wrap dates around raw almonds and sprinkle with a little sea salt. So good!

My sister has added a video making my milk, and I think it is so helpful, and makes the whole process less intimidating to those new to making nut milks. She does an awesome job walking you through the process. Check out the video over at her blog

Gerberdays...

Some information gathered from David Wolfes " Superfoods, the food and medicine of the future"

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I had a request this morning from my girls for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. I looked through the house to see what we had on hand, and we just happen to have some fresh, organic local lemons from our CSA produce. So I was off to the kitchen to see what I could come up with for them. .The result was oh so delicious!

Lemon Poppy seed Muffins

What you Need:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white whole wheat four

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. sea salt

zest from one lemon

2/3 cup sucanat (natural sugar cane)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds mixed with 6 Tbsp. water

4 tsp. poppy seeds

1/2 cup almond, hemp, rice, or soy milk

Raw turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top of muffin

To Make:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with Muffin liners.

Start by mixing 2 Tbsp. of flax seeds with 6 Tbsp. of water. Set aside to thicken.

Mix all of the dry ingredients in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients.

Gently mix the wet and the dry ingredients together until just combined. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, and sprinkle the tops of the muffins with raw turbinado sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Baked Oatmeal

There is something so satisfying, nourishing, and comforting about a warm bowl of oatmeal.

Regular stove oats are great, but have you ever tried baking it in the oven?
Not only is the texture and flavor amazing, but it creates an aroma of what's to come throughout the entire house. When you have to wait a little longer to eat it, it tastes so much better! And because of the slow cooking, the apples and raisins have time to sweeten the oatmeal naturally.
I have been making this recipe for my family for about 4 or 5 years. It is a staple for us. I have changed it, and made so many variations of it. But this is the variation I make most often. When I get up in the morning, I will throw this in the oven to start baking, go get the kids up and get ready, and when we are finished, breakfast is awaiting us!


Oven Baked Oatmeal

What you Need:
2 Cups old fashioned oats (not instant)

3 cups of almond, rice, hemp, or soy milk

1 apple, grated

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

4 Tbsp of Pure, Grade B maple syrup, or Brown Rice Syrup

1/4 cup dried raisins

1/4 cup chopped almonds or slivered almonds

To Make:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an 8x8 inch square baking dish add all ingredients and stir well. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top looks golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy!
You can also make this in large ramekins.

Spring Vegetable Pasta or Everything but the kitchen sink Pasta

Quick weeknight pasta gets a healthful makeover...
by me!

This is a trick I use all the time. I hate for any of our food to go bad. When I have a bunch of random things I need to use up, this is often the recipe I will make. And I feel so good that nothing went to waste. Plus, if you have kids, this is a great way to introduce more veggies into their diet. Pasta is a familiar, loved food for them, and if you use a fun shaped, whole grain pasta noodle they will love it.

Use anything you have that you need to use up, half a carrot, a few asparagus, half a bunch of cauliflower or broccoli, mushrooms, anything! There is really no recipe to it. I love to serve this type of meal with a side salad, or with some sauteed collard greens.


Spring Vegetable Pasta
or
everything but the kitchen sink pasta


What You Need:
8-ounces of whole grain pasta of choice, any shape, we used quinoa pasta

1 jar of your favorite( or homemade) pasta sauce, look at ingredients and make sure they are clean!

lots of mixed veggies: any amount you want,

I used 1 bunch of extra thin asparagus, 2 carrots,2 celery, 1 red bell pepper, all diced

2 Tbsp. olive Oil

sea salt and pepper to taste



To Make:
Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a saute pan, and saute your mixed vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper until just tender. Add your veggies to your noodles, and pour in the amount of sauce desired. Use just a little if you like it less saucy, or if your like us, you will add lots of sauce to coat everything well! If you have some fresh herbs laying around you can add some of those too.


We served this with sauteed collard greens with garlic.

Sauteed Collard Greens with Garlic

What You Need:

1 large bunch of collard greens, kale, or any dark and sturdy leafy green, washed and cut into smaller pieces

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp. olive oil

fresh squeezed of lemon juice to taste

To Make:

Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add 1 clove of thinly sliced garlic. Saute for just a minute, being very careful not to burn garlic at all. Just warm it up a little. Then add greens and saute a few minutes, until wilted. Add lemon juice and add a pinch of salt and pepper if it needs it.



My kids really like this quinoa pasta

Sweet Brown Rice Porridge

Kids love this!
Actually, I love it just as much as they do.
It really is the perfect , nutritious, fast breakfast!
But don't hesitate to have it any time of day!


Sweet Brown Rice Porridge
These are just approximate measurements. No need to measure on this one, just eyeball it!

What You Need:
A few cups cooked brown rice (make the night before or in advance)
1/4- 1/2 C. Almond milk, rice milk, hemp milk, use your milk of choice here
1-2 Tbsp. Pure Grade B Maple Syrup
Small handful (1/4 cup) raisins)
small handful (few Tbsp) pecans, almonds, or any ther nut of choice, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To Make:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the rice. Then, pour in enough almond milk to just moisten the rice. Add maple syrup, raisins, pecans cinnamon, and vanilla and stir. Heat until just warmed up. Remove from heat and taste and adjust seasinings.

Warm Spinach Salad with Sweet Molasses Vvinaigrette

It seems that I am always making a side salad to go with our dinners.Tonight I decided to make the salad the star!

With sauteed seasonal local vegetables, iron packed spinach, and a warm balsamic dressing drizzled over the salad to barely warm the spinach, it just couldn't have tasted any better to me tonight! Serve with a side of brown rice, your favorite grain of choice (quinoa would be great!) or a slice of whole grain bread, toasted, and rubbed with a garlic clove and sprinkled with sea salt.

mmmmmmmmm......

Warm Spinach Salad with Sauteed Vegetables and Sweet Molasses Vinaigrette

What you Need:

4-6 cups of baby spinach washed well

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 bundle of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 carrots, peeled and cut into small bite sized pieces

1/4-1/2 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces

1 red onion, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup pecans toasted

1 recipe for Sweet Molasses Vinaigrette (recipe below)

To Make:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add red onion and saute a few minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and saute until just tender (but not squishy and overcooked).

The Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced very fine or grated on a microplane

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp agave nectar

1 Tbsp Blackstrap molasses

1 1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses

Heat olive oil in saucepan.. Add garlic and saute for just a minute to warm the garlic up, but not cook it or brown it. Then add the rest of the ingredients, and bring just barely to a boil, while constantly whisking. As soon as the mixture reaches a boil, pull off of the heat, allow to cool for 1 or 2 minutes, and pour over the salad. Coat salad well.

Taste as you cook!

and adjust the seasonings to your own liking!

And have fun, cooking is fun!

Pasta alla Formiana

I adapted this recipe from one that I saw Giada make on the Food Network. its so good and comfort food at its best to me!  Despite it being incredibly easy, it looks impressive, so its perfect for making as a centerpiece for special occasions or when having company over!

Pasta alla Formiana

Adapted recipe from Food Networks Everyday Italian

What you need:

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped

1/2 pound whole wheat Pennie pasta (8 ounces)

1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1/4 cup dried oregano (no that is not a typo, it is 1/4 cup. You have gotta love oregano to love this dish!)

2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

4-5 very ripe, extra large beefsteak tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch thick slices

To Make:

Put oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch glass baking dish and set aside.

In a food processor, blend together crushed tomatoes and garlic. Pour into a medium bowl and add uncooked pasta, 1/4 cup olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss until all ingredients are coated.

Line the bottom and sides of baking dish with tomato slices.

Drizzle the top with a little extra olive oil, and bake until the tomatoes are crispy, and the pasta is cooked, about 1 hour. let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Then pour the pasta/tomato sauce mixture in the dish on top of the tomatoes.

Layer tomatoes on the top, to completely cover the pasta mixture.

The thing I loved about this dish was that the pasta noodles weren't cooked beforehand. They just cooked in the tomato sauce in the oven, and the pasta cooked perfectly! Serve this with a crisp side salad!

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Italian Herbs

Tonight we had a delicious Sunday dinner.

I made a beet and lentil soup and a spinach salad, and put my husband in charge of the other side dish. He made the most delicious roasted fingerling potatoes (ones that we received from our CSA/Co-op goods).

I never usually buy fingerling potatoes, but I am a huge fan now.

For starters, the texture is amazng, very rich, smooth and creamy in the middle. The skins are very thin, and easy to clean, and if they are organic, its just a quick wipe down and they are ready to go. The recipe was simple and let the flavor of these cute little potatoes really shine through.

You have got to give fingerlings a try. Seriously. They are cute, and delicious!

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Italian Herbs

What you need:

about 1.5 to 2 pounds of fingerling potatoes

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp sea salt

pinch of fresh cracked pepper

To Make:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash and thoroughly dry the potatoes. Leave the smaller poatoes whole, and cut larger ones in half to try and make all potatoes similar in size. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Use clean hands to toss the potatoes and coat evenly with the oil. Add the herbs, salt and pepper and toss again to coat. Line a heavy baking sheet with foil, and lay potatoes out in it. Bake for about 30 minutes, then pull pan out and shake it a little to move potatoes around a bit. Place back in oven and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until potatoes were golden brown, crispy on the outside, and soft in the middle.

Let cool a few minutes, then taste and season with additional salt and pepper to your own liking..

Kids snack plate (or Aliyahs fruit face)

My kids eat snack plates all the time.

A plate mixed with random things that they create a face out of.

I thought this was cute of them making an afternoon fruit/veggie face yesterday, and pretending they were on "Food Network".

A side note for the adults: While your kids are stuffing their dates with nuts for the fruit face, stuff a few with almonds for yourself, and sprinkle them with sea salt. This is one of my favorite healthy treats! I love it!

SNACK PLATE

CSA

I love to support our local organic farmers by being part of a

CSA

(community supported agriculture)

program.

I have a few goals that I am trying to improve on, and one of them is to try and eat a little more seasonally when I can, and use what I can get locally and organically from the farmers. When you really think about it, most of the stuff we eat has been shipped pretty far to us

so we can eat it at a time of year that it isn't even growing! So, buying from local farms means eating what is growing right now!

Every friday we will be getting a box of mixed fruits and veggies (whatever was ripe and ready that week). We will get different things each week which I think is really fun, and I hope it will encourage me to get creative and see what I can come up with from the stash we receive. This week we got all kinds of good things, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, collard greens, cauliflower, beets, carrots, oranges and tangelos, apples and pears, fingerling potatoes, red onions, leeks, avocados, artichokes, and other goodies. And again, all from local farms and all organic!

Very cool. This is just a step closer for me to living more "in touch" with nature. I have to admit that I love where I live so much. Lots of farmers markets, CSA's, and Co-op farms within easy reach.

I will also be creating and posting one recipe per week, featuring something seasonal from our fresh produce we get. So keep checking back!

And check out your area to see if they offer Csa and Co-op whrere you are at!

Cutie Pita Pockets with Chickpea salad

What's for lunch?

That is usually the question of the day from my little cuties in the afternoon.

Today, cute kid sized pitas with my very favorite Clausen pickles. My kids loved these (and so do I!). They have a sort of tuna like feel to them, Great for getting some good protein in for a veggie kid!

And the best part of all, they took me about 3 minutes to make because it was leftover filling from wraps we had for dinner the other night. I love leftovers!

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are an excellent source of fiber, and they help lower your cholesterol and maintain blood sugar levels because they are low glycemic. They are an excellent, low fat source of protein, and a complex carbohydrate. Even more reasons to enjoy them regularly, right?!

This is a great, healthy, fun lunch for children, and awwesome to pack in their school lunches!

Cutie Pita Pockets with Chickpea Salad

What you need:

Mini whole grain pita pockets (make sure they are preservative free, clean ingredients) I got mine at Trader Joes

Clausen pickles (found in refrigerated section)

Chickpea Salad (pocket filling)

adapted from The Vegan Table

2 can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegan Mayonnaise (Vegannaise and Wild Foods garlic Aoli are awesome!)

1 red bell pepper very finely diced

2 carrots, very finely diced

2 stalks celery, very finely diced

1 cup of walnuts or almonds

big handful of fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. Annies organic Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon

Your favorite salt free seasoning, Mrs. Dash, Spike, or just salt and pepper

In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas until they are chopped up pretty small. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend again. Add seasonings, or salt and pepper to taste.

To make:

serve in a mini pita, regular sized pita or a whole grain wrap, of course with a crunchy pickle on the side.

Tomorrow's Tamale Pie

After taking yet another cooking class from Chef Tanya Petrovna of Native Foods Cafe over the past weekend, I have some new and fun recipes to share. I talked to her for a little while after the class, and she was excited that I was going to post and share the recipes with you all. She adapted this one from Weird Al's family recipe, and I also made a few of my own changes.

Tomorrow's Tamale Pie

What You Need:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic, thinly minced

1 red bell pepper chopped

1 tsp salt

3 cups (2 cans) black beans, drained and rinsed

or make from scratch if you have time

2 cups fresh salsa

1 Tbsp chipotle juice from canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 Tbsp Cumin

2 tsp coriander

1 block of tempeh

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Cups cornmeal

2 Cups whole wheat pastry flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup water

1/4 cup canola oil or safflower oil

1/4 cup pure, grade b maple syrup

4 ounces sliken tofu

1 small can diced green chilies

3 Cups Daiya (vegan) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cilantro

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup diced black olives

To Make:

Preheat oven to 375

Heat olive oil in skillet and saute onions, garlic, red bell pepper, and salt until lightly browned.

Add black beans, salsa, chipotle juice, cumin, and coriander and simmer for 10 minutes.

While bean mixture is simmering, place tempeh, water, and soy sauce in a pan. Bring water to a boil, and simmer the tempeh for about 10 minutes. then take tempeh out of water, let cool, and cut into small bite size pieces.

In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and sea salt.

In a blender place water, canola or safflower oil, maple syrup and tofu and blend until very smooth. Add to the flour/cornmeal mixture and add a can of diced green chillies. Fold mixture until incorporated.

In a casserole dish, first layer the tempeh, then the bean mixture, then top it off with the cornbread mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes. Then remove from oven and top with vegan cheese and bake another 10-12 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro, olives and green onions.

Greek Salad with Lemon and Garlic Dressing

Native Foods Cookbook

In a word...delicious!

Greek Salad with Lemon and Garlic Dressing

and Tofu Feta

What You Need:

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 cup Greek lemon Garlic Dressing (recipe below)

dash of dried oregano

pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup tofu feta

1 cup of chopped fresh parsley

To Make:

In a bowl combine all of the ingredients except the tofu feta and fresh parsley. Portion into a bowl and top with the tofu feta and fresh parsley.

Lemon Garlic Dressing:

1 cup of olive oil

juice from about 2 lemons

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Tofu Feta:

1 container of extra firm tofu

lemon and garlic dressing to coat well

pinch of sea salt

1 tsp dried oregano

Crumble tofu into a bowl, and pour enough of the homemade dressing over it to coat well. Add dried oregano and sea salt ant. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Wholesome Banana Bread

I love banana bread!

I came up with this to satisfy that craving for it, and know that it was actually good for me too. When you look at what is in this, bananas, unrefined sweetener, flaxseed, whole grains, and dried fruit and nuts, you can enjoy this treat and know that it is also really healthy. It took me lots of experimenting to get this perfect. And there is no added fats aside from the walnuts, and of course the good shmear of Earth Balance butter spread over the top! Its also good as a healthy afternoon/after school snack for kids! Everything in this is a real, unprocessed, whole food, and that is always the goal!

When I am in the mood for chocolate, I leave out the raisins and walnuts, and add in about a half cup of vegan semisweet chocolate chips.

That is equally good!

Wholesome Banana Bread

What You Need:

1 1/3 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, or plain whole wheat flour

(depending on the size and moisture level of the bananas)

1 cup of sucanat (natural sugar cane), or raw turbinado sugar (unrefined sugar)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 big, or 3 medium over ripe smashed bananas (smoosh em' up good!)

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 Tbsp water, and set aside to thicken for a few min.

tsp good quality vanilla extract

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped walnut halves

To Make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix 1 1/3 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry. it the mixture seems like it needs a little extra flour, then add a little more (up to 1/2 cup more if needed). It just depends on how huge the bananas are. And, I like my banana bread less mushy, and a little dryer, so go with what your own preference is.

Pour into a large bread pan that is lightly oiled. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Sushi Brown Rice Bowl

This was such a clever idea. Sushi in a bowl! The flavor of this dish was light, clean, delicious, and refreshing! I got the recipe from

The Blissful Chef

One of the things I loved about this is that most of the veggies were left raw, which made for a very quick meal (no cooking aside from the rice) , and extra healthy too!

I doubled the recipe so that I would have plenty on hand for my lunches, my kids and husbands lunches, and snacks!

YUM!

Whole Wheat Pesto Pizza

This dough works great as pizza dough or homemade tortillas. I usually 2 two pizzas, and then make tortillas for a second dinner and fill them with whatever we have around...


Whole Wheat Pesto Pizza


What you Need:

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (recipe follows)

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained

1 box frozen spinach, thawed. Squeeze as much water out as possible

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

large handful of thinly sliced olives

thinly sliced button or baby portabello mushrooms

store bought or homemade basil pesto, or pesto of choice

fresh basil to granish (optional)

nutritional yest (optional)



Whole Wheat pizza Dough:
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast

1/2 cup warm water (not too hot)

2 Tablespoons raw turbinado sugar, agave, or sweetener of choice

add the yeast, water and sugar together. let the mixture get very foamy. Then add...

2 cups warm water

2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup olive oil

mix together. Then start adding in slowly...

4 cups whole wheat flour.Add more flour if needed, until mixture is still a little wet, but able to roll out and work with. Let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes. This dough will make about 4 rectangle (cookie sheet sized, so if you only want to make 2 you can refrigerate the extra)


To Make:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Lightly sprinkle cornmeal on a cookie sheet. On a floured surface roll out your dough in to a rectangle slightly smaller than your cookie sheet. Place dough onto baking sheet and spread lightly with your pesto. next place a little spinach on, then layer the rest of your veggies after that. Sprinkle the top of pizza with a little salt, and pepper. Bake for about 22 minutes or until the dough is lightly browned.


If you want to add a little "cheesy" type flavor to the pizza, you can lightly sprinkle your slice with a little nutritional yeast flakes (available at health food stores) and this will also up your b vitamins! Or just eat it plain as it is. Top with a granish of basil.



On a side note:
This pizza dough also makes awesome tortillas. I usually make 2 baking sheet sized pizzas out of this recipe, and use the rest of the dough for homemade tortillas. To make tortillas, heat a griddle to very hot. Roll out your dough into size of tortilla desired. Then heat tortilla on griddle, flipping every minute or so until browned. Store in refrigerator.

Vegan Tamales

These were to die for...

Yes, there was a little extra prep time involved ,

But the end result was

so delicious, and what really made these extra special was the Chile Colorado sauce that was made from scratch.

So, if you are feeling adventurous and have a day with some extra time on your hands, make some of these. In fact, make extra while you are at it and freeze them for instant warm ups!

Do not be intimidated by this recipe, its actually really easy. There are just different steps to making it. Just focus on one step at a time, then set it aside in the refrigerator and move to the next step.

Vegan Tamales

adapted from Chef Roberto Martin (Ellen's Personal Chef)

Step 1: The Masa

2 cups Masa Harina

1.5 cups warm water
1/2 cup Earth Balance Vegan Butter, melted

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 Tsp. baking powder

1 Tsp. Kosher salt
Mix it all up with a wooden spoon and refrigerate.Can be made up to 3 days ahead.

Step 2: Chile Colorado (for tamale filling and extra sauce for drizzling)
7 dried Anaheim chilies

3 cups strong vegetable broth

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 med yellow or white onion chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. ground cumin
3 large cloves of garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1.5 pounds sauteed vegetables of choice (I used Broccoli, Cauliflower, carrots, red bell pepper, corn, and peas)

Working on one chile at a time, use a paring knife to cut a slit all the way down one side of a chile. Open up the chile and remove the stem and seeds. Remove as much of the veins as you can.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Flatten out the dried chiles as well as you can and place on the skillet to heat. Press down on the opened chiles and leave for a few seconds. Turn the chiles over and heat a few seconds more. You do not want to toast or burn the chilies, just heat them enough to draw out more of the flavor.
Place the chilies in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let sit for 15 minutes, until softened.
Meanwhile, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add oregano and cumin and sauté for one minute more.
Remove the chiles from the bowl and place in a blender . Discard the soaking liquid. Add the vegetable broth, and onion mixture. Puree until the sauce is completely smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste.
In a bowl, add vegetables and add just enough sauce to coat. Save the remaining sauce to enjoy with cooked Tamales.
NOTE: This mixture can be used as a great burrito filling as well

Step 3: Soaking the corn husks

2 bags of dried corn husks
Go through the corn husks removing any debris. Separate the larger, usable pieces from the smaller bits and pieces.
Place the husks in a large bowl. Cover husks with warm water. Set a heavy item (like a heavy bowl) on top of the husks to keep them submerged until they are wet and pliable.
Remove the husks from the water and pat dry. Place into a covered dish or a large plastic bag to prevent from drying out. Use only the larger and medium sized husks for the tamales.

Step 4: Assembling the Tamales:

Lay a husk on a flat surface with the long end at the top. Have the point or narrow end at the bottom. Place 2 - 3 tablespoons of dough onto the husk. Starting from the upper left hand corner spread the dough about 4" across and 3" down. Try to keep the dough approximately 1/4 inch thick.

Spread about a tablespoon of filling down the center of the dough

From the masa covered left, fold the husk over the filling. Take the bottom of the husk and fold it up towards the top. Wrap the extra husk around the tamale and lay it flat, seam side down.

Step 5: Steaming Tamales

Set tamales upright in a steamer. You can buy large steamers made just for this purpose or you can rig something up. The idea is to have a small amount of boiling water on the bottom of the pot and a colander or mesh of some sort to keep the tamales away from the water. Cover the tamales loosely with more husks and a good fitting lid.
Steam for about 90 minutes. Serve with lots of sauce on top!

Step 6: You Guessed It! Eat up and enjoy!

Oatmeal, Walnut, and Apricot Chunk Cookies

No "white" flours, no refined sugars, no eggs, no milk, no butter...

Full of fiber, b vitamins, dried fruits and nuts, and totally delicious! Make a batch of these and see if you can tell the difference!

Oatmeal, Walnut, and Apricot Chunk Cookies

adapted from The Kind DIet Cookbook

What You Need:

1 cup Old Fasioned Rolled oats

3/4 cup oat flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup raw turbinado sugar

1/3 cup pure, grade b maple syrup

1/2 cup safflower oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp blakstrap molasses

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

To Make:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

Combine all of the dry ingredients together and whisk well.

In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.

Add the wet to the dry ingredients.

Place about a heaping Tbsp of dough per cookie on baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until edges are looking lightly golden, then remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a good 4 or 5 minutes. Vegan baking is a little different, and if you don't give the cookies a minute to cool they will not hold together. Then -remove cookies from baking sheet and cool 5-10 more minutes. Enjoy these! They are heavenly!

A little side note about Maple Syrup

Make sure that the Maple Syrup you use is pure, Grade B maple syrup. It will cost more than your usual kind, but to me, this is a worthwile investment! Grade B maple syrup...

• Has a ton of calcium
• It's full of vitamins, including lots of B vitamins, niacin, iron, Folic acid, the list goes on...
• contains 22% of the trace minerals that you need every day
• These are just a few of the good benefits of using high quality Maple Syrup

This is a cookie you can feel good about eating (and giving your kids), because it is made of clean, natural, pure ingredients.

Tuna Salad (kinda) Wraps

This was delicious in a whole wheat wrap.
The next afternoon we had the leftovers just plain, straight out of the container cold. And that was equally delicious! As you can see, I have been on a little bit of a tempeh kick lately...
This was one that my kids really loved, probably because it is very mild and light in flavor. It would be a great packable for school lunches, or on a piece of toast, in a wrap, or on top of a bed of greens.

Tuna Salad (kinda) Wraps

Adapted from The Kind Diet Cookbook

What You Need:

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh

1 red onion, minced

1/4 cup umeboshi plum vinegar

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 carrot chopped

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 English cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup chopped kosher dill pickles

1 Tbsp. Veganaise

1/2 tbsp Dijon or stone ground mustard

1 tbsp (about half a juicy lemon) fresh lemon juice

2 heaping Tbsp. chopped fresh dill (I added a little more than this)

1 Tbsp drained capers

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Whole wheat tortillas

To Make:

Bring water to a boil in a pot filled with a steamer basket. Cut the tempeh in half and place in the steamer basket. Steam for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the onion, and oil for about 15 seconds. If you like raw onion, you can skip this step. Use a strainer or slotted spoon to transfer toe onion to a mixing bowl. Keep the water boiling in the pot on the stove.

Add the vinegar to the onions, stir well, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

While the onion marinates, blanch the celery, carrots, corn, and peas in the reserved boiling water for 10 seconds each, scooping them into a mixing bowl as each vegetable is done. Set aside to cool.

Drain the marinated onions through a sieve, and rinse quickly under running water. Squeeze the excess liquid from the onions, and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Cut the cooled tempeh into small cues, and add to the bowl along with the cucumber, pickles, Veganaise, mustard, lemon juice, and dill..

Stir well to combine. Serve topped with the capers and parsley.

Enjoy just as it is, atop a salad of fresh greens, or in a whole wheat wrap.

Quick "No Egg" Salad Sandwich

This is a great sandwich for a really quick dinner. Just because something is really quick, doesn't mean is has to be unhealthy. The husband said that it reminded him of an egg salad sandwich. And you can really season it with whatever you like. Tofu is pretty bland, and takes on the flavor of whatever you season it with. Make sure that you use extra firm tofu here.

Quick "No Egg" Salad Sandwich

What you Need:

1/2 package of extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled in a bowl

shredded carrots

sliced avocado

sliced red onion

sliced bell pepper

thinly sliced cucumber

sliced tomato

veganaise

Dijon mustard

yellow mustard

Your favorite grill seasoning, There are tons out there, or whatever your favorite seasonings are, Ms. Dash has good salt free ones

freshly baked whole grain bread

To Make:
In a bowl place crumbled tofu. Add a small dollop of Veganaise (about a tsp.) and a smaller dollop of dijon mustard. Season the tofu to taste with seasoning of choice.

Place a little tofu on sandwich bread, then continue with the toppings. Spread top piece of bread with a little yellow mustard and add a pinch of sea salt and pepper to the veggies on the sandwich. . Serve with a pickle for extra yumminess!