Baba Ganoush

One thing I'm enjoying this summer and thought you'd love is Baba Ganoush. Fresh eggplant from your garden, CSA share or farmers market. Get out your grill (can be done on a stove griddle, but not quite the same smokey taste) get it hot, and toss those eggplants on....well slice them in half lengthwise first! I put them skin side up for about 10 min. Then flip them over and let them cook for at least 10 min. Then put them in a bowl, or pan and stick in the fridge to cool completely. So for let's say 2 decent sized eggplant: Start by removing the skin and putting the 'meat' into a Cuisinart, add 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt, juice from half a lemon, a heaping Tablespoon of tahini, and a heaping Tablespoon of vegan mayo (I love the Follow Your Heart brand) and blend until completely smooth. Enjoy with crackers, lettuce or NYC bagels like me :)

Pesto

Undoubtedly the best vegan pesto ever ~ if I must say so myself!!!! And so easy! This batch I made with basil microgreens but you can make this with fresh homegrown basil or basil plants from the market. In a small fry pan, toast 1 c of sunflower seeds with med heat tossing until lightly golden. Then in a Cuisinart add sunflower seeds, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sea salt, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp. braggs, 1/4-1/3 c extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 c nutritional yeast flakes, and 3 c basil leaves (can use whole leaves and stems as long as they are not woody or hard). Blend until all elements are combined. Add 3 c more basil, continue to blend. If it's too chunky for your taste add some more olive oil to thin it out some. If it is too thin for your taste add more basil. The combination of nutritional yeast, lemon, and braggs takes the place of Parmesan cheese, and the sunflower seeds are like a tenth the cost of pinenuts.  Serve over pasta or on pizza (with kalamata olives...mmmm) or just on a slice of toast. SOOOO yummy.

Apple Pie

Happy Thanksgiving. And what better way to celebrate then having a homemade apple pie. This has been my favorite pie recipe for at least 20 years. So easy and can be made gluten free, you just have to be more careful with the crust making. But here goes...Make the apple filling first. Peel and slice 6-7 good sized Macintosh apples. Put into large bowl, adding 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ginger, and 1 T tapioca flour. Mix well and set aside. So the crust, 2 c flour, 1 tsp salt mixed. Add 2/3 c organic spectrum shortening at room temp. Using a fork mix it until  it is slightly crumbly. Then add 5-7 T of cold water, mix again with a fork. Then using your hands just knead it gently until it's one large ball. Now split in half. One half is to be rolled out and put into a pie dish, the other is to be rolled out and used as the top. Once you've got your apple mixture into pie dish, add 1 1/2 T of earth balance divided up into 5 pieces sprinkled on top of the apples. Then put you crust on top. tuck the dough into the edges. Now you can use a fork to do the edge of the crust or as I do ~ pinch the crust with my thumb and index finger around the edge. Using a fork poke some holes in the top. Bake at 375* for 45 minutes until golden brown.

Can't Stop Eating Salad

This is THE best salad ever! So yummy, my husband and I will eat the whole thing in one sitting. It's a great addition to any meal. Now first you will need to make the Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette that I posted already but with 1 tsp dry basil instead of fresh basil and blend it, setting it aside for later. Now, wash and cut a head of lettuce of your choice. Peel and slice 2 carrots and 1 cucumber. Wash and slice 2 ribs of celery. Slice half a can of organic olives. In a small pan over medium heat lightly toast a cup of pecans then set aside for 5 minutes to let them cool. Now in a nice bowl toss all the ingredients, then add 1/2 c of dressing and toss. Now add a can (strained) of mandarin oranges, 4-5 dates cut into pieces, and a handful of raisins, cranberries or dried cherries. Toss salad gently so you don't mash the oranges. add a little more dressing if you want. Then cut an avocado in half, remove the seed, and with a butter knife - slice the avocado and scoop out and fan them onto the side of the bowl (OR) you can just cut up avocado and gently incorporate into the salad. I added some sunflower shoots for added loveliness.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

As we inch closer to Thanksgiving I thought I'd post some simple dishes to go with your mashed potatoes and gravy. Roasted Brussels Sprouts are simple and tasty. I personally never had them as a kid (my mother hated them so it was never on the menu) but, as an adult I've figured out how to enjoy them and maybe my mom might even like them? You never know. So, take a pound of sprouts, slice off the end if needed, then cut them into halves. Place into a glass baking dish. Melt 1/4 c earth balance and drizzle over them. Add 1 T bragg aminos, a hearty pinch of celtic sea salt and some fresh ground black pepper. Toss them and get them coated well. Roast in the oven at 400* for about 35 minutes or until they are crispy on top, stir once during the baking time. This is a perfect side dish. Enjoy.

Baked Pear

Soooooo yummy, Soooooo easy... Perfect for those fall pears. A hit for all ages. What else can I say?
OH! right - the recipe... OK take some pears that are close to being ripe, cut in half, using a melon baller - scoop out the seeded part. place on glass baking dish cut side facing up. Now here is the easy part, say if you have 6-8 pears which then will give you 12-14 halves, Drizzle about 1/2 - 3/4 cup maple syrup all over them, coat the cut opened part with it. Then pour about 1 c of apple cider (or juice) into the bottom of pan. AND THEN....sprinkle cinnamon all over them. WHEW!!! Bake at 400* for about 20-30 minutes or until they are soft. Take out, let cool slightly (since they are sooo yummy warm) and use the syrup on the bottom of pan too. Optional (can be dangerous) Can serve with a scoop of vanilla coconut milk ice cream to really make everyone nuts.....

Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette

I'm sure that right now you probably are getting an abundance of salad makings in your CSA share along with a lot of fragrant fresh basil, yes? If not then get your butt down to your local farmers market and get some because it's prime time for it! My all time favorite thing to do with basil (that's quick and easy) is to make a great dressing. It's a dressing that can be versatile...drizzle it on salads, roasted portabello's, pizza, bruschetta or even if your a little wild...vegan ice cream! It can last a long time in the fridge. To make, take your basil, remove any tough stems or seeds, rinse with cold water, stuff your blender s it's about 1/2 filled. Add 2 cloves of fresh garlic, fresh ground black pepper, a 1/2 tsp celtic salt, and 1c of Balsamic vinegar, 3/4 c Maple Syrup, and 1 - 1 1/2 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Blend until super creamy. ENJOY! yummy.

Tofu, Zucchini & Carrots in Cashew Sauce

Oh so yummy and kids LOVE it. Wonderfully savory dish and a great way to use tofu. To start, slice 2 carrots 1/4 - 1/2 in. thick. Slice 2 zucchini lengthwise once and then slice half moons 1/2 in. thick. Then cube 1 block of tofu 1/2 - 1 in. thick. Set aside. Now take 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil into a good sized sauce pan, add 2 cloves of garlic  chopped, and 1 thumb of ginger - peel & chop. Over med heat - sautee' garlic and ginger slightly then add carrots and 1/2 c water. Stir well while you cook for 5 minutes. Now add 1/4 tsp grey salt and a dash of fresh black pepper. Toss in zucchini & tofu, continue to stir around until zucchini begins to be tender. Now add 1/4 c Bragg liquid amino's. Now move ingredients to one side of the pan so you have some juice available to melt cashew butter (if no juices then add water & more Bragg). Now take 2 heaping spoonfuls of cashew butter and stir them into liquid until it dissolves and makes a saucy consistency. Then mix into everything else. Goes really nice with quinoa, and if you've never cooked it, 1 c quinoa to 1 1/2 c water - bring to a boil then lower to lowest setting, cook for 20 minutes or less.

Vegan Taco's

Super easy and super fun. Great meal for kids. I used organic corn taco shells, either yellow or blue. Just heat in oven at 350* for 5 min. Organic refried beans (vegetarian) - heat in iron skillet with some ground cumin & coriander, shredded vegan cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, shredded lettuce, diced onions, vegan sour cream, guacamole (mashed avocado with lemon & salt), your favorite salsa and sprouts...I used cilantro microgreens. Another fun sauce is the cilantro/tamarind sauce on the recipe for crepes done on Feb 25th. Let everyone construct their taco's and see how different you all are when it comes to tastes. Enjoy!

Raw Spinach Soup

A highly coveted recipe THIS soup was introduced to me by Cherron P. during a raw food retreat we had here at Thunder Mountain a few years ago. It's super easy to make, and doesn't need a whole lot to be eaten with it, since it is so filling and nutritious. Just a side salad is good. Also you can add things like cucumber or other greens if you want to get creative, or even use water in place of carrot juice...find what works for you. Recipe: 2c fresh Carrot Juice, 1 T Lime Juice, 1/2c Extra Virg Olive Oil, 1/4c Tamari, 1 Avocado, 1/3c Basil packed, 2c fresh Spinach, 2 T Scallions, 2 T Garlic, 1 tsp Jalapeno, 1/3c Parsley, 1/2 med Tomato or 6-8 Cherry Tomatoes. If you have a vitamix just put all the ingredients in and blend until creamy. If you have a basic blender blend the carrot, lime, olive oil, tamari, basil, spinach and avocado first and blend, then add the remaining ingredients chopped well and blend until smooth. And if you like it spicy then add more of the jalapeno. This soup won't last long so eat it up...

Baked Tofu w/ cilantro lime & ginger

Making baked tofu is just about the easiest thing you can throw together for a vegan protein. I'm not a big 'tofu' eater when we go out to dinner mainly because restaurants don't know how to season it. They tend to grill it with some salt and pepper. Tofu is a blank canvas. It needs help to create a flavor. That's why you can use it for dips, desserts and other amazing things with out it tasting strangely tof-fuey. So for this amazing way of having it, just take a baking dish and add 1/2 c olive oil, 1/2 c Bragg Liquid Aminos, juice of 1 lime, a thumb of fresh ginger (peel & grate finely), fresh black pepper, and some cilantro. Now I used cilantro microgreens but you can use cilantro leaves or chopped cilantro. Now you slice 2 blocks of tofu. For even sized slices I tend to cut it in half then cut each piece in half again, and then repeat so you 8 even sized pieces, or you can freely slice it and have thin pieces but you will need to layer the slices against each other to fit it all in the pan. Layer flat in pan then flip them over in 1 minute to get even coverage of juices. Bake at 400* for about 40 minutes. YUM!

Lentil Salad

Lentil salad is a great way to get your protein and veggies in one serving and it makes a great potluck dish. It lasts a while in the fridge which is a plus in my house because I like to make a big batch and feed off it for a week or so. For my salad I prefer the french indigo lentils which cook quickly and tend to keep their shape (unless you cook the crap out of them). Yellow and green lentils are better for creamy dishes or a dahl. So cook 2 c  lentils with a bay leaf for about 1 hour or until they are just tender. While they cook make a dressing in a large bowl of 1/2 c olive oil, juice of 2 lemons, 1/4 c apple cider vinegar, 1  T  ground cumin, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 tsp celtic salt, fresh black pepper, and 1/4 c chopped parsley or cilantro - whisk well. Then add the following diced - cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, and red or yellow pepper. Once your lentils are cooked, strain them in a colander and rinse well with cold water until you can handle them. Then add veggies and lentils into the bowl and toss.

Sweet Potato Crepes w/ Cilantro Tamarind Sauce

Now I just rolled this up, I didn't actually prepare the ingredients - just helped cook the crepes. Kylie B. was the one who pulled this recipe from a great cookbook Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. This is a great book with lots of fun recipes. Kylie did make regular crepes and a wheat free version by just switching flours to the GF kind, it was a thinner batter but cooked nicely. And I must say I REALLY liked these...and will defiantly be making them again. There are a lot of ingredients so bear with me....Crepes; 1 1/2 c flour, 1/2 c chickpea flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 T olive oil, 2 c water. Mix well - cover & chill 1/2 hour. To cook them you can use a non stick skillet and 1/4 c batter and swirl it around so that it spreads out, flip when the top looks cooked through. Cooks fast!
Filling; in a large skillet 2 T oil (she uses peanut) add 1 1/2 c onions - chopped, 1 red pepper - chopped saute 5 min, add2 cloves garlic, 2 T ginger grated, then add 2 1/2 # of sweet potatoes, cover & cook 15 min stirring. add spice mixture of - 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp fenugrrk, 1 tsp mustard, pinch of cinnamon, pinch of cayenne, and grind 2 cardamon pods w/ 6 cloves...Add1/2 can coconut milk, 1 T maple syrup, 1 T lime juice - cook 5 min.
Sauce; try to make while potatoes are cooking...1/2 c cashews, 2 c cilantro, 1/2 can coconut milk,1 tsp maple syrup, 1 T oil (again she uses peanut but can use sunflower etc..), pinch of salt, put into blender and blend till smooth. So put your crepes together as you serve them and eat often!!!! SOOO YUMMY!

Raw Cacao Balls

Staying on the 'Healthy' kick for January I wanted to do my favorite snack. Now if anyone knows me at all they know that I love chocolate. Lately I've found something way better than the basic candy bars and cookies. These Raw Cacao Balls - now I have to credit Sarah H. for introducing these amazing (addicting) treats which I have put my own spin on. I make these and keep them in my fridge and snack on them often without any guilt. They are raw and wheat free, so they fit into a category of nutritional bars etc. Here goes: with a Cuisinart grind up 1/2 c dried coconut flakes. Set aside. Then 1/2 c of almonds or pecans, grind into a flour. Put coconut flour back in, add 1 1/2 c of Raw Agave Nectar, 1 1/2 c Raw Cacao powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp cardamon, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla & 3 T Coconut Oil. Blend well, then using a spatula remove from Cuisinart and put into a mixing bowl. Now here's the hard part - since you don't want to break the Cuisinart....add 1c millet flour and mix with your hand, squeezing the dough through your fingers mixing until its dark & smooth. Now you can add chopped nuts if you want or switch out the millet flour for Vega Smoothie Infusion to give it more nutrients. Wash hands, add about 1 c dried coconut in a separate bowl, and using a melon baller, scoop out  dough and roll each ball between your hands and when your done toss into the coconut - coating well and set on tray. Once you roll all the balls - stick tray into fridge overnight to chill and harden. Now enjoy...I know I do :)

Raw Kale Chips

Well HAPPY 2012! And to begin our new year we always try to make our diet better. One way is to have 'snacks' that don't leave us sad and deprived. So I'm  giving you my recipe for Kale Chips. They are yummy, they are crunchy and they taste amazing. I have trouble keeping them around for very long because they get eaten in about 24 hours. BUT to have the kids snacking on these as apposed to potato chips - I will make them more often. I use a dehydrator and set it at 115*  for about 8 hours, but you can put them in your oven on the top rack at the lowest setting but keeping the door of the oven slightly open. They won't "technically" be raw but they will still be yummy and it will cook in a lot less time, so stay close so they don't turn to dust.
For 1 bunch of kale - wash first, then holding the stem grasp the greens closest to the bottom of the stem and slide you hand (with the greens) clean off the tip of the stem. Do this for each stem - removing it. Then break up leaves into good sizes - 3 in pieces or so. Set into a bowl. Now in a blender - 1c cashews, 1c nutritional yeast, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. curry (more if you love it), 2 T Bragg Amino's (or tamari), and juice of a lemon. add 1-2 c water and blend totally. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. then pour over kale, mix well so it is totally covered. Spread out on dehydrator sheets or oven cookie sheets. Check them often, some will dry quicker so remove the crispy ones. I like them slightly chewy but that's me...a little chewy around the edges :)

Maple Pecan Pie

This is one of those magical recipes that you can't have just one bite of, but also can't have sitting around too long because you will - I repeat - YOU WILL eat all of it. So you can make this in a pie pan or tart shell. I make it wheat free so I tend to use a tart shell because I can press the crust dough into it evenly. If you use wheat you can roll it out normally. For crust ~ in a large bowl measure out 2 c flour, 1 tsp salt, 2/3 c organic shortening cut into small pieces, mix then add 7 T. cold water mix with a fork and then kneed into a ball. roll out and place into a pie pan. Filling ~ Mix 4 egg replacer, 1/4 tsp. lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c melted Earth Balance, 1/2 tsp. Celtic Salt, 1/2 tsp. Vanilla, 3/4 c Maple Syrup in a large bowl or mixer. Add 2 c Pecans to your crust and pour mixture over it evenly. Bake 30 minutes at 375*. let cool completely. And share with friends and family.

Veggie Stir Fry w/ Brown Rice

Super easy and can be made with any type of vegetable you might have hanging out in the fridge. First make a pot of brown rice - take 1c rice and 1 1/2 c water, cover, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Takes 40 minutes. While that is cooking prep and slice all your veggies. Then take a wok or nice skillet and add a little sesame oil on high heat, toss in some sliced onions, then some chopped garlic & grated ginger. Toss in your carrots, daikon, bamboo shoots, stir for a couple minutes, then add your broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms....toss them around for another couple minutes. Then add 1/4 c tamari - stir well for 1 minute, then top with fresh mung bean sprouts - cover and turn off. it's ready to be eaten. You can change the seasoning if you need to Bragg Aminos or vegetarian Teriyaki sauce, whatever floats your boat. Or add snow / snap peas or tofu for a protein. The key is cook it quick. You want you veggies to still be crunchy not mushy.

Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie

I had posted on facebook that I was making these and was bombarded with requests for deliveries and a recipe. Since I live far away enough that a delivery of warm cookies is impossible I guess you all will have to settle on the recipe instead. There are many 'alternatives' to baking items so I'm adding other substitutes for things. So to start you will need a bag of vegan chocolate chips, I like the tiny ones by Enjoy Life. And you will need 1 c of macadamia nuts preferably non-salted and chop them just enough to make them chunky. OK to start 1 c shortening or earth balance (if you do the EB then don't add extra salt) 1 c brown sugar (or maple sugar) 1/2 c sugar (or xylotal which comes from birch trees - low glycemic) 2 egg replacer (or 3 T flax meal soaked in 1/2 c water) 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 1/2 c flour, 3 c quick oats. Mix wet ingredients then add dry stuff the oats last. Then add your chocolate chips and nuts. Bake 350* for 10 min. Makes 4 dozen.

Savory Black-eyed Pea's

The only thing I can say about this is go ahead and try it, it's an amazing way to have black-eyed pea's. I soaked the pea's overnight and cook them until tender with a couple bay leaves and plenty of water. Strain them and put into a baking dish. Add a chopped green pepper, 4 chopped tomatoes, 1/4 c molasses, 2 T maple syrup, 2 T olive oil, 1/4 c tamari, 2 T ground cumin, 2 T chipolte in adobo sauce (canned), touch of salt & pepper and caramelized 2 sweet onions. * Take an iron pan with 1/4 c olive oil and 1 tsp. celtic salt, add chopped vadelia onions on med high heat and stir often until completely caramelized (golden brown - mushy consistency) Mix all ingredients into baking dish bake at 400* stir often for 1 hour. Serve with fresh cilantro or cilantro sauce.

Coconut Tempeh

Ahhh....the most requested recipe of mine. It's a nice sweet / savory way to prepare tempeh. Take a glass rectangle baking dish, and mix the following ingredients in it. 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tsp ginger, 2 tsp garlic powder, juice of 2 limes, 3 T agave nectar, 3 T Bragg aminos, mix well with a whisk. Slice a couple cakes of tempeh about 1 in. thick and layer into sauce, flip each piece so it's all fully saturated. Then cover with 1 bag of sweetened shredded coconut. Bake in oven at 400 for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with rice. Enjoy!