BBQ Tempeh Lettuce Wraps – Gluten-Free Vegan Meals in Minutes

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Janie

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Working late and need an easy idea for a super quick, yet healthy dinner?  Try these BBQ tempeh lettuce wraps.  Not familiar with tempeh?  It’s made from fermented soy beans and is a whole, unprocessed food.  Be sure to get traditional, organic (since most soy is GMO) and watch out for versions made with additional grains as these varieties could contain gluten.

Wash some romaine lettuce and chop up green onions, tomatoes and avocados. Set aside.

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Crumble a block of tempeh in a pan and add your favorite gluten-free, vegan BBQ sauce. Heat on medium and stir until tempeh is hot and mixed well with the sauce.

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Build your lettuce wrap. Dinner is served!

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Raw Vegan Nacho Cheese Zucchini Chips

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Janie

nacho-zucchini-chipsI have a couple other tasty recipes on the blog for zucchini chips – spicy Asian and chili lime. I love zucchini because they’re so easy to grow and they’re so versatile.  I think dehydrated chips have become my absolute favorite way to eat zucchini. And hubby no longer complains that we grew too much zucchini since he loves them too.  I use a traditional rack type dehydrator, but if you don’t have one, you could also make these in your oven on the lowest heat setting. If you do use the oven, keep an eye on them as they will cook a bit faster at the higher heat. (And they won’t technically be “raw” but they’ll still be tasty and healthy!)

You could also use this sauce for kale chips too.

I double the recipe below to have enough for my dehydrator (10 trays).

Raw Vegan Nacho Cheese Zucchini Chips

1/2 cups cashews (soaked for 30 minutes or more and drained)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tb chili powder (makes a mildly spicy sauce)
1 tsp powdered/ground cumin
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup water
8 cups sliced zucchini (approx)

Slice raw zucchini about 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick and set aside.

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Soak cashews for at least 30 minutes, drain and add to food processor with “S” blade add all other ingredients and blend.  Add water slowly to make your sauce the desired thickness.  Thinner sauce will dry faster and not taste quite as strong. Thicker sauce will create very cheesy chips.

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In a large bowl, add some of the zucchini and some of the sauce – mixed in smaller amounts is easier.  Coat the zucchini with the sauce and place on dehydrator tray.  Do this until all the zucchini are coated and placed on the rack.

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If you have extra zucchini or extra sauce, consider using them in another recipe. You can add the sauce to quinoa, rice, gluten-free pasta, soup…. and zucchini are great tossed in marinara sauce or in curries. See my other sliced zucchini recipes, pumpkin curry and kolokithia.

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Trick or Treat Vegan Style

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Janie

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The scariest thing about Halloween to me is looking at the ingredients in all that crappy candy.  First, most of it isn’t vegan – and I’m not talking about just the milk chocolate.  Red candy is often colored with the crushed bodies of the female Dactylopius coccus, an insect from Central and South America.

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Watch out for cochineal, carmine, or carminic acid on the label to avoid eating these poor critters.  Also, gummy candies are usually made with gelatin- aka miscellaneous boiled animal parts like cartilage, skin, bone and other tissue.  Spooky, creepy, cruel and gross!

And even if the candy is vegan, hubby and I don’t want to support the consumption of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).  GMOs are foods that have had their DNA altered. They are untested and suspected to cause health problems in humans and animals.  Here’s a good place to start to learn more and I highly encourage you to learn more if this is a new subject for you!  Unless it’s organic or specifically labeled GMO free, if it contains corn syrup, sugar (other than specifically labeled pure cane sugar), soy, cottonseed, corn or canola oil, (also the elusive vegetable oil which is usually a combo of the four I just listed) it’s most likely genetically modified. If I had to guess, I would say conservatively that 90% of the candy from the big manufacturers is GMO laden.

I’ll be blunt.  The traditional stuff most people pay hard-earned dollars for and hand out to our unsuspecting little ones contributes to animal cruelty, poor health and a toxic environment.  Three years ago, as new vegans, we just said no to it all and the kids actually thanked us.  We found some vegan, non-GMO fruit leather treats at our local Costco.

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We also had some little packs of nuts.  We let the kids choose. At first I was worried about getting egged, but we heard comments like “Ooh! I love fruit leathers!”  and “Yay, nuts!  I can’t have (chocolate, sugar, etc…)”. One little girl even mentioned she was glad to see something healthy. She gave me hope for the future and their positive reactions made my night. No cruel eggs or wasteful, smashed pumpkins were smeared on my house either.

So please take some time to re-think Halloween and find a cruelty free, health promoting option to give to your trick-or-treaters this year!  It has to start somewhere, so why not start with you?

Happy Cruelty-Free Halloween!!!!

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Kale and Strawberries and Goiters – Oh My!

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Janie

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A goiter?  I have a goiter?  Isn’t that something only malnourished people in third world countries get?  Apparently not, since I had one this summer.  Luckily, my doctor caught it in the early stages, so I didn’t have a big, lumpy elephant neck or anything terribly dramatic, but I had a goiter none the less. And once I found out, I had to find out how it got there and how to make it go away – pronto!

I thought eating lots of Kale and leafy  greens, raw hummus, the occasional tofu, tempeh and edamame, peaches, strawberries, all that healthy stuff was, well healthy.  In fact, my beautiful garden was full of all kinds of leafy goodness.

While these foods are very healthy, too much of them can be a bad thing if you have health issues.  It was for me.

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According to WHFoods.org, While it’s important to note foods themselves are not “goitrogenic” in the sense of causing goiter whenever they are consumed, or even when they are consumed in excess. In fact, most foods that are commonly called goitrogenic do not interfere with thyroid function in healthy people.  The term “goitrogenic food” makes it sound as if something is wrong with the food, but in reality, the problems occurring for certain individuals is not the food itself, but the mismatched nature of certain substances within the food to their unique health circumstances.

Turns out my body needed iodine. Badly. While I suspect my gluten-intolerant gut and it’s inability to absorb nutrients efficiently may have also had something to do with this mess,  I learned goitrogenic foods can prevent your body from absorbing iodine, especially if you’re also deficient in selenium.  I’d also switched to sea salt which I thought was better than iodized. I rarely ate sea veggies, so I wasn’t getting much iodine and I was eating tons of goitrogenic foods.  For me, probably not the best move.

After researching and compiling a list of goitrogenic  foods and seeing they made up about 80% of my diet, I felt sick.  Being vegan, gluten-free and non-goitrogenic  – what would I eat? At first I cried big sobbing tears, thinking about how limiting my diet would be. But like my gluten-free challenge years ago, I reminded myself to think about what I could eat, not what I couldn’t. I worked hard to put together a couple lists – goitrogenic foods to avoid and non-goitrogenic foods that contain nutrients that promote healthy thyroid gland function.

The beautiful thing I learned on my own (not from doctors) was that after avoiding the goitrogenic foods for about a month, adding a few sea vegetables and small amounts of iodine, selenium and potassium supplements to my diet, the ultrasound showed the goiter was going away.  I’m slowly adding the goitrogenic foods back into my diet and trying to eat more of them cooked, rather than raw. And fingers crossed, I’m doing OK. I will be going back to see my endocrinologist again in a few months and advise anyone with thyroid issues to find a good doctor. But never stop advocating for your own health and learning about alternative treatments so you can make the best choice possible for YOU!

Gluten-Free, Vegan
Goitrogenic Foods

Gluten-Free, Vegan
Non-Goitrogenic Foods

Vegetables
African Cassava (used in tapioca)
Asparagus*
Bamboo Shoots
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (including Kimchi and Sauerkraut)
Cauliflower
Corn
Edamame
Garbanzo Beans
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leafy Greens (Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Spinach)
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sweet Potatoes
Tempeh
Tofu
Turnips
Wasabi
Watercress		 Azuki Beans
Avocados
Beet root and leaves
Bell Peppers
Black Beans
Carrots
Celery
Chard
Cucumber
Eggplant
Fennel
Garlic
Green Beans
Jerusalem Artichokes
Kelp
Lima Beans
Mung Beans
Mushrooms
Navy Beans
Onions
Peas
Pinto Beans
Red Kidney Beans
Romaine
Sea Vegetables
Squash
Tomato
Zucchini
 Fruit
Dates*
Grapes
Grape juice
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Strawberries		 Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Citrus Fruits
Cranberries
Guavas
Kiwis
Mangoes
Pineapples
Pomegranates
Raisins
Raspberries
Watermelon
Nuts, Seeds and Grains
Almonds*
Cashews
Flax Seed
Hemp Seed
Millet
Peanuts
Pine Nuts
Pumpkin Seed*
Walnuts		 Amaranth
Coconut
Brazil Nuts (great source of selenium to help absorb iodine)
Buckwheat
Hazelnuts
Macadamia Nuts
Quinoa
Rice – brown, white, wild, etc..
Sunflower Seeds
 Other
Black Tea – leaves absorb fluoride from the soil
Green Tea – leaves absorb fluoride from the soil
Fluoride
Miso
Soy Milk
Soy Oil
Soy Flour
TVP (soy)		 Many herbs have healing properties that can help thyroid and other body functions. Cayenne, Turmeric, Ginger, Mint, Cilantro, Parsley, Cinnamon are just a few good ones to add to your food.

* I checked many lists to create mine and found some foods to be listed as both goitrogenic and non-goitrogenic. To err on the side of caution, I’ve listed them on the goitrogenic side but they may have benefits to help with thyroid.

 

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You might be a carnivore if…

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Janie

tyrannosaurus-rex-eating-preyYou might be a carnivore if…

-Road kill sounds tasty – fresh (or not so fresh) off the pavement.

-You just love ripping your dagger-like canines through fur and flesh to reach the soggy, bloody, vein-popping, gristle and muscle inside.

-You are easy able to run 40 M.P.H. for a few minutes to catch your dinner.

-Squirrel, rat, raccoon and pigeon sushi sound delicious. Coagulating in blood? Even better.

-Your jaw opens wide enough to seize, kill and dismember your prey – all in one big bite.

-Your teeth are razor sharp and spaced so far apart you don’t even need to floss.

-You enjoy chewing on bones to pass the time.

-You’re not grossed out by hair, feathers or maggots in your food but you wonder why anyone would ruin a perfectly good piece of raw, dead flesh with salt, pepper, spices, sauces, or God forbid, a grill.

Not describing you? Don’t worry!

Based on the info below we are much more suited to a plant-based diet. And for our health, the health of our planet and the compassion for animals, we can all  benefit by eating that way.

Check out the following list from The Comparative Anatomy of Eating by Milton R. Mills, M.D.
Facial Muscles
CARNIVORE: Reduced to allow wide mouth gape
HERBIVORE: Well-developed
OMNIVORE: Reduced
HUMAN: Well-developed

Jaw Type
CARNIVORE: Angle not expanded
HERBIVORE: Expanded angle
OMNIVORE: Angle not expanded
HUMAN: Expanded angle

Jaw Joint Location
CARNIVORE: On same plane as molar teeth
HERBIVORE: Above the plane of the molars
OMNIVORE: On same plane as molar teeth
HUMAN: Above the plane of the molars

Jaw Motion
CARNIVORE: Shearing; minimal side-to-side motion
HERBIVORE: No shear; good side-to-side, front-to-back
OMNIVORE: Shearing; minimal side-to-side
HUMAN: No shear; good side-to-side, front-to-back

Major Jaw Muscles
CARNIVORE: Temporalis
HERBIVORE: Masseter and pterygoids
OMNIVORE: Temporalis
HUMAN: Masseter and pterygoids

Mouth Opening vs. Head Size
CARNIVORE: Large
HERBIVORE: Small
OMNIVORE: Large
HUMAN: Small

Teeth: Incisors
CARNIVORE: Short and pointed
HERBIVORE: Broad, flattened and spade shaped
OMNIVORE: Short and pointed
HUMAN: Broad, flattened and spade shaped

Teeth: Canines
CARNIVORE: Long, sharp and curved
HERBIVORE: Dull and short or long (for defense), or none
OMNIVORE: Long, sharp and curved
HUMAN: Short and blunted

Teeth: Molars
CARNIVORE: Sharp, jagged and blade shaped
HERBIVORE: Flattened with cusps vs complex surface
OMNIVORE: Sharp blades and/or flattened
HUMAN: Flattened with nodular cusps

Chewing
CARNIVORE: None; swallows food whole
HERBIVORE: Extensive chewing necessary
OMNIVORE: Swallows food whole and/or simple crushing
HUMAN: Extensive chewing necessary

Saliva
CARNIVORE: No digestive enzymes
HERBIVORE: Carbohydrate digesting enzymes
OMNIVORE: No digestive enzymes
HUMAN: Carbohydrate digesting enzymes

Stomach Type
CARNIVORE: Simple
HERBIVORE: Simple or multiple chambers
OMNIVORE: Simple
HUMAN: Simple

Stomach Acidity
CARNIVORE: Less than or equal to pH 1 with food in stomach
HERBIVORE: pH 4 to 5 with food in stomach
OMNIVORE: Less than or equal to pH 1 with food in stomach
HUMAN: pH 4 to 5 with food in stomach

Stomach Capacity
CARNIVORE: 60% to 70% of total volume of digestive tract
HERBIVORE: Less than 30% of total volume of digestive tract
OMNIVORE: 60% to 70% of total volume of digestive tract
HUMAN: 21% to 27% of total volume of digestive tract

Length of Small Intestine
CARNIVORE: 3 to 6 times body length
HERBIVORE: 10 to more than 12 times body length
OMNIVORE: 4 to 6 times body length
HUMAN: 10 to 11 times body length

Colon
CARNIVORE: Simple, short and smooth
HERBIVORE: Long, complex; may be sacculated
OMNIVORE: Simple, short and smooth
HUMAN: Long, sacculated

Liver
CARNIVORE: Can detoxify vitamin A
HERBIVORE: Cannot detoxify vitamin A
OMNIVORE: Can detoxify vitamin A
HUMAN: Cannot detoxify vitamin A

Kidney
CARNIVORE: Extremely concentrated urine
HERBIVORE: Moderately concentrated urine
OMNIVORE: Extremely concentrated urine
HUMAN: Moderately concentrated urine

Nails
CARNIVORE: Sharp claws
HERBIVORE: Flattened nails or blunt hooves
OMNIVORE: Sharp claws
HUMAN: Flattened nails

 

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Guilt Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan Mac and “Cheese”

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Janie

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Mac and Cheese – the ultimate comfort food.  But the real stuff is not gluten-free, fat free or healthy.  It’s filled with calories, animal cruelty and artery-clogging cholesterol. I’ve had some really good vegan “cheese” sauces. My favorite is Heidi Ho Chia Cheeze Sauce.  It comes in a little glass jar, is lower in fat and contains only goodness.  But I’m out and need to buy more and was having a Mac and Cheese fix.  What to do…..Time to get creative!

This version is soy-free, nut-free, vegan, and gluten-free It’s made from beans so it does have a beany texture. But because it’s made from beans, turmeric, nutritional yeast, pepper and sea salt, it is a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins and a tasty topping for your favorite gluten-free pasta.  Hubby liked it enough to have a second bowl. (Me too, so good thing it’s lower in calories!) It would also make a good veggie dip, but cut the salt by ½ tsp if you’re dipping anything salty like chips or crackers.

Beany “Cheese” Sauce

15 oz cooked and drained cannellini / white kidney beans (canned works great if you’re in a hurry)
5 tbs nutritional yeast
2  tsp sea salt
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients in high powered blender or food processor until very smooth. I made mine in my blender.

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Add to 6 cups freshly cooked and drained hot gluten-free pasta, cooked al dente and mix gently until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.  Makes 6 one cup servings.

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Raw-vocado Key Lime Pie

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Janie

gluten-free-vegan-me-layered-key-lime-pieHubby and I were headed to some friends’ house for dinner and were bringing dessert. It was a hot day and I started to ponder what to bring.  My friend is an amazing cook and she enjoys experimenting with recipes too, so trying something new was safe with them.

The warmer days put me in the mood for something summer-y and cold. Mmm.  Key lime pie! How to make it raw, vegan and gluten-free? Hmmm? Avocados are green and taste good with lime.  That was my ah-ha and I headed to the kitchen to play.

It turned out to be not only easy, but also refreshing and quite tasty. Friends and hubby had seconds which is always a good sign.

So fast forward, life is busy and I kept meaning to post the recipe, but didn’t find a chance. Time to head to another get-together and low and behold, now I can’t find the recipe meticulously written down on the back of a piece of junk mail. (OK – organization is not my strong suite.)

Searching my brain rather than the pile of papers on my kitchen table, I decided to just get creative again and write everything down once more. I could remember for the most part how I made it. And of course, I decided to clean off my kitchen table, after I finished creating, and low and behold, I found the original recipe and forgot to add the cashews with the avocados which explained why the topping seemed a bit less than before.  I decided to make a cashew topping for the new version and see which I liked better.

Both are good and you can decide which one you like best because hubby and I like them both and couldn’t decide!

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Raw-vocado Key Lime Pie

Crust:
1/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup pecans
6 -8 medjool dates (you may need a few more or a couple less depending on the size and moisture of your dates)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in food processor with S blade until they stick together by pinching.  Nuts should be finely chopped, but not turned into nut butter.  Spread and push down mixture to evenly coat bottom of 9 x 9” square cake pan.

Filling:

2 ripe avocados
4 tbs raw agave nectar
3 tbs lime juice
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup cashews

Mix all ingredients in food processor with S blade until creamy and smooth, spread on top of nut crust and store covered in the freezer until 5 – 15 minutes prior to serving (if frozen.) Take out and cut into pieces, allowing them to slightly thaw before serving.  Pie filling will turn brown in about an hour after thawing, so keep frozen if possible.

gluten-free-vegan-me-layered-key-lime-pieLayered Raw-vocado Key Lime Pie

Crust:
½  cup cashews
½  cup pecans
½ cup raw, dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
6 -8 Medjool dates (you may need a few more or a couple less depending on the size and moisture of your dates)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in food processor with S blade until they stick together by pinching.  Nuts should be finely chopped, but not turned into nut butter.  Spread and push down mixture to evenly coat bottom of 9 x 9” square cake pan.

Filling:

2 ripe avocados
4 tbs raw agave nectar
2 tbs lime juice
3/4 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in food processor with S blade until creamy and smooth, spread on top of nut crust. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Topping
1 cup soaked & drained cashews (soak for an hour or more so they blend smooth and creamy)
2 tbs agave
1 ½  tsps vanilla

Mix all ingredients in food processor with S blade until creamy and smooth, add a bit of water or a little more agave if needed. Spread on top of frozen avocado and store covered in the freezer until 5 – 15 minutes prior to serving (if frozen.) Take out and cut into pieces, allowing them to slightly thaw before serving.  Pie filling will turn brown in about an hour after thawing, so keep frozen if possible.

 

 

 

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Vegan, Gluten-Free, Santa Monica – part 4

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Janie

20130429_105056Bye, bye Santa Monica!

One last meal at Euphoria and we had to catch a plane. Hubby chose cashew scrambles and I selected a breakfast wrap.

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IMG_0188It was my birthday, which entitled me to try a chocolate dessert – totally worth the calories!

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We will be looking for inexpensive airfare and more opportunities to head west to LA for another cuisine vacation. It was so refreshing to see all the healthy, vegan places to eat and all the raw and gluten-free options.

 

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Vegan, Gluten-Free, Santa Monica – part 3

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Janie

20130429_135227Monday, breakfast was a total bust. We attempted to go to Raw Star Café since it opened at 9:00 and all the other places didn’t open until 10:00 or 11:00.  When we arrived (a bit of a walk) it was closed.  Since we were only a couple blocks from Urth Caffé, we decided to check it out. The only gluten-free vegan thing on the morning menu was a pumpkin pie.  We had two slices.  It was fantastic. I also had coffee, which I was really overdue for. On the way back Raw Star was open and we stopped in, met Chef Bryan and bought some raw chocolate walnut balls.  They were $8 for four small 1” balls. I wouldn’t get more if we ever went back; they were not all that impressive, especially for the price.  Chef Bryan was very friendly and raved about his raw breakfast and that he was normally open at 9:00, however, we drove by the next morning and the place was dark again, so we didn’t get to eat there.

After our pie breakfast, we hopped back on the bus to go rent a car for the day. We had reservations for the Tonight Show and taking a bus from Santa Monica to Burbank involved two hours and three transfers. Since we were headed through Hollywood, I wanted to grab lunch at Sun Café.

After sharing some raw tacos, (pictured above) it was fabulous Pad Thai (raw) for me and Mac and “Cheese” (not raw) for hubby.  We were in a hurry because we had to get to the studio or we would have had some dessert and more pictures. I hope we can go back to Sun Café sometime!

Well, the Tonight Show turned out to be a total bust too.  No one told us (and we should have done our research) that you have to get there REALLY early to have a better chance at a seat.  We waited for almost three hours and didn’t get in. They offered everyone tickets (guaranteed) to another show, but we had to leave the next day, so no deal for us. I was sad and needing a vegan comfort snack.  Also, I wanted to try Café Gratitude and had heard so much about it. We had a car so off we went.

Café Gratitude is just too cool.  They have positive affirmations written for you on the bathroom mirror and the server asked us the question of the day, “What is your greatest accomplishment?” Hubby got the “I Am Strong” smoothie and I got the “I Am Awesome” encrusted eggplant (minus the panini).  “I Was Delighted”!  Too bad this place wasn’t closer to Santa Monica or we’d have gone back for “I Want Breakfast”.  They open at 8:00 am.

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We took our time driving back to Santa Monica via Bel Air, Brentwood, Beverly Hills and Sunset Blvd.  Since M.A.K.E. was our favorite place near the hotel, we opted for one last meal there.  To our surprise, they had several new items on the menu and we caught a glimpse of Mathew Kenney himself. He had his graduate students preparing new creations. While it was tempting to order the same fabulous dishes we had a couple nights before, we opted to try some new items and shared three main dishes.

We had Carrot Gnocchi, Peas, Mint, Horseradish Crumbs,

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Bahn Mi Tacos, Maitake, Guacamole, Chipotle Creme, Carrot, Radish,

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and Nori Roll, Jicama, Avocado, Shitake, Pickled Diakon, Pickled Ginger, Chipotle.

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The dishes were beautifully presented, but this time, we didn’t feel the portions were quite as generous and while the flavors were nice, we weren’t blown away like we were the first night. There wasn’t anything on the desert menu that really grabbed us, so we opted to call it a night.

 

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Vegan, Gluten-Free, Santa Monica – part 2

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Janie

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Since it was Sunday, we decided to walk to the farmer’s market for breakfast.  If I lived in Santa Monica, I’d shop there every Sunday.  It was a bit of a walk from the pier, but we like to walk. There were tons of organic herbs, fruits and veggies.  But nothing for breakfast. And it really didn’t matter because by the time we walked there, it was time for lunch.

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We opted for wraps and smoothies from a booth called Euphoria and learned we had just passed their restaurant a couple blocks back. Euphoria didn’t come up on HappyCow.net and it should be listed.  We headed over there for a little more food on the way back.  The place is funky fun and filled with raw goodies.

IMG_0168We tried their Indonesian Kelp Noodles and a cookie.  The cookie was so-so, the noodles were very good. Not quite as good as the ones we had at M.A.K.E., but still yummy. I also had a raw “hot chocolate” drink made with almond milk, raw cacao and spices.  It really hit the spot since I didn’t have any coffee or tea and I like a warm drink.

On the way back, we also stopped at a Vegan Thai café to check out an option for dinner. The owner was very sweet, but added soy sauce in EVERYTHING, so no gluten-free options.  We decided to go back to Real Food Daily for dinner after a very long walk on the beach.

Hubby started with squash soup and I had the miso. Both good. For the main course, I ordered the Risotto and hubby had the Balinese wraps.

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My dish was quite good. Hubby’s was an odd combo of sweet, salty and sour flavors and the dipping sauces tasted almost metallic. I shared some of my risotto with hubby and he ate the wraps, but passed on the sauce.  We ended the evening with raspberry tofu “chz” cake which more than made up for the weird flavored wraps.

 

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Vegan, Gluten-Free, Santa Monica – part 1

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Janie

20130427_115927Oh Santa Monica!  Your are an amazing city for gluten-free vegans!!  Hubby and I went for a short trip last weekend and ate some of the best vegan chow we’ve had anywhere. First stop was lunch at Real Food Daily on 5th and Santa Monica.

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After an early flight and a bus ride to our hotel, we were HUNGRY. I ordered the pizza and hubby ordered a burrito minus the tortilla.  We also had smoothies and were just too full for dessert.  We were impressed for our first visit.

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Dinner was at M.A.K.E.  While they do use honey, so technically not an all vegan spot, they can make just about anything without honey if you ask.  Everything is raw and everything we ate that night was splendid. This food was so wonderful, we forgot to take pictures,.

We started with an appetizer: Tree Nut Cheeses, Market Fruit, Sweet & Spicy Mustard Seeds, Fennel Crisp.  We’ve had some good vegan “cheeses” but these were the best we had ever tried.  The Fennel Crisps were nice crackers with a great texture and flavor.

Next we ordered the Wild Arugula, Herb-Caper Cream, Sweet Potato Chip, Malted Vinegar Powder starter. This dish was designed to resemble the taste of “fish and chips” and was fun and very generous with the arugula.

We shared the Market Tomato Lasagna and Black Pepper Kelp Noodles. On a scale of 1 – 10 they were both an 11. And even though we weren’t hungry (which isn’t always the case with some raw places we’ve eaten) we had to try the Chocolate Walnut Cake with Licorice Pear, Fennel and Sassafras. Just terrific. We left the right amount of “full” and while it is pricey, we thought it was worth the money for such amazing food.

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BBQ Berbere Portabella Comfort Bake

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Janie

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Dinner was so good tonight I just had to take a picture and share.  I work a lot of hours and often get home pretty late. I’m hungry. I’m tired. Even though I love to cook, I just don’t have time to really prepare something. I need gluten-free, vegan grub and I need it fast!  So tonight, while driving home, I started thinking about the fresh portabella mushrooms waiting for me in the fridge.  We had some baked with marinara and pesto the other night and they were great.  We also had lasagna so I wasn’t in the mood for Italian.  What could I make that was fast, fun and a little different?

There’s a little place on Broadway in Denver called Sputnik with clearly marked vegan and gluten-free options on the menu. They have awesome sweet potato fries with a bunch of different dipping sauces. My favorite is berbere ketchup.  If you’ve never had berbere spice, you really need to find some. It’s a slightly spicy mixture of chili and other spices used in Ethiopia and it goes great with tomato. I started thinking about that ketchup and wondered how it would taste baked with the portabella, kind of like a spicy “meatloaf” with mashed potatoes and dinner was imagined and 45 minutes from arriving home, it was served! Hubby loved it too. Here’s how I made it.

BBQ Berbere Portabella Comfort Bake

1 cup Berbere Sauce:

2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup spicy bbq sauce (not too sweet)
1 tsp of berbere spice

4 large fresh portabella caps washed with stems removed

2 cups mashed potatoes

2 cups chopped, fresh greens (I used kale)

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit, place portabella caps uncovered in a glass baking dish (overlapping slightly is fine – see picture below) and top each cap with 1/4 cup berbere sauce. Bake for 30 minutes.

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Remove from oven and slice into strips.

Arrange greens around edge of plate.  Place 1/2 cup warm mashed potatoes in center with a pat of vegan butter.  Arrange portabella strips on the bed of greens, spoon on a little extra sauce from the pan and serve. So pretty, healthy and tasty!

 gluten_free_vegan_me_portabella_plate

 

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Raw Hummus Rules!

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Janie

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Hummus is one of the most versatile foods I can think of. It is good as a dip, spread and even as a salad dressing. And it’s chalk full of nutrients – fiber, calcium, protein just to name a few.  I like the hummus I buy from the store, but it’s processed and usually contains added oils, so I eat it sparingly.  Trying to eat more raw, vegan foods, I decided to work on perfecting a raw hummus.  It took awhile, but I have now made this recipe a dozen times and it always turns out great.

It is made with sprouted garbanzo beans/chic peas. See my post on sprouting if you are new to the process. They take about two days to sprout to the length I like.

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I also make my own raw tahini and have posted the instructions here.  You can substitute tahini from the jar or canned chic peas, but I can’t guarantee it will come out right.

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The raw version does taste a bit different than the store bought version but it’s so much healthier. I really like it and hope you do too!

Here’s my recipe:

1 1/2 cups sprouted chic peas/garbanzo beans
1 clove crushed garlic
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup water
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup raw tahini

Add chic peas, garlic salt and tahini to food processor with S blade.  Start processing and slowly add lemon juice and water to prevent liquid from leaking out the sides.  Stop the food processor as needed to scrape sides of bowl and continue to blend until very smooth.

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Mixture will seem runny, but once chilled for about an hour, it becomes the perfect consistency. Pour mixture into glass container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Mixture will keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days.

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Raw Tahini

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Janie

gluten-free-vegan-me-raw-tahiniI love tahini. This middle eastern spread gives baba ganoush and hummus distinct flavors. Sesame seeds are loaded with calcium and protein. It’s just good stuff!  But most tahini is made with toasted seeds so, while it’s delicious,vegan and gluten-free – it’s not raw.  I am not a raw vegan, but I do try to choose as much unprocessed and raw food as possible. So I popped out and bought some raw sesame seeds and went to work to try a raw version.

A little over a year ago, I posted about making tahini using my my food processor and toasted seeds. This attempt resulted in delicious tahini, but about fried my poor food processor and took an incredibly long time to make. I decide to stick with the stuff in the jar for my sanity and compassion for my food processor.

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Now I have a new kitchen gadget, the Blendtec Twister. I am not receiving anything for this endorsement, but I have to say, this little container rocks! I filled the Blendtec with a cup of seeds and in 30 seconds I had about 1/2 cup of smooth tahini. Smaller amounts seem to work better and blend faster, so I repeated the process and in a few minutes I had a decent sized jar or this raw goodness. Fast and super easy.

Keep in mind, tahini made with raw sesame seeds tastes different than toasted seeds. But I love this tahini and use it to make my raw hummus – something I’ve become totally addicted to and now keep as a staple in my fridge.

 

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Fiesta Jackfruit and Polenta

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Janie

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I had never heard of jackfruit until about six months ago. I’d seen it featured in vegan pulled “pork” sandwiches, tacos, even “pot roast” but never had a chance to taste it.

A few months ago, hubby came back from the Asian market with a chunk of ripe, fresh jackfruit.  It is the inspiration for Juicy Fruit gum’s flavor and was really sweet. Way to sweet to use as a meat substitute.

We ate some fresh and it was OK, but not spectacular.  I read that many people loved the seeds even more than the fruit, so we roasted the seeds in the oven with a little oil and salt. The seeds were fantastic! Very nutty and meaty and about the size of chestnuts.    We dehydrated the remaining fresh fruit and it tasted just like sugar pop cereal.  It made a great snack, but left me wanting to try the green variety.

A few weeks later, we went to a restaurant that featured jackfruit tacos. They tasted amazing and we were hooked! A little later we went to a brunch that featured jackfruit pot roast. Again, we loved this funky fruit and they way it worked perfectly as a replacement for shredded meat.  I just had to find some to make jackfruit recipes at home.

Young, unripened jackfruit is used in recipes to replace shredded chicken, beef and pork.  I finally found some canned at the Asian grocery and used it to make this super quick and easy dish.

Fiesta Jackfruit and Polenta

1 20 oz. can young green jackfruit in brine or water.
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
Prepared corn polenta (I used 1/2 of an 18 oz. roll)
Vegan cheddar cheese shreds (I like Daiya)
Fresh chopped cilantro

Take jackfruit chunks out of the can and break apart into shreds. Discard any hard pieces. Combine in pan with salsa and heat on stove. Turn heat down and place polenta slices on top or microwave to warm.  Place polenta slices on plate, top with jackfruit mixture, shredded cheese and chopped cilantro.

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Simple Sprouting Idea

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Janie

chic-pea-sprouts-gluten-free-vegan-meMy first attempt at sprouting turned into a glumpy, moldy mess. I tried sprouting quinoa and used a sprouting jar, following all the directions.  I’m not sure what went wrong, but I really hate to waste food, so I went  to work, reading and learning as much as I could about sprouting. It didn’t seem like rocket science, but everything I read stressed the importance of good drainage.

My second attempt was perfect, but I didn’t use a sprouting jar or quinoa. Instead, I came up with this contraption and loved the ease it gave for rinsing and draining. First, I started with organic chic peas and soaked them for 24 hours. I poured them into the colander, drained and rinsed them . Then I placed the colander on top of the pan and covered it with the lid. The colander allowed good drainage and air circulation, allowing for easy rinsing and and eventually, perfectly sprouted chic peas. Rinse every 12 hours for another two days or until sprouts are desire length. I prefer them about the length pictured above to make raw hummus.

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I used a similar set up with a smaller colander and buck wheat and again, perfect sprouts.

Once seeds have sprouted to the desired length, you can store them in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.

 

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Gluten-Free, Vegan Blueberry Bread

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Janie

vegan-gluten-free-blueberry-bread-gluten-free-vegan-meThis is one of my favorite recipes when I’m having guests over. It makes a great breakfast or a nice dessert.  My non-vegan and non-gluten-free friends and family love this bread.  I hope you will too!

Gluten-Free, Vegan Blueberry Bread

1 ¼ cups gluten free flour mix (I like to mix 4 parts brown rice flour to 1 part potato flour and 1 part millet flour”)
½ cup almond flour (I make my own in my Blendtec by simply grinding up almonds to a fine grind.)
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp xanthan gum
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup powdered sugar (I blend organic raw sugar to a fine powder in my Blendtec)
¾ stick softened vegan “butter”or coconut oil (Earth Balance works great)
2 egg vegan egg equivalent (I like En-R-G egg replacer)
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup warm vegan milk (I like almond)
1 ½ cup blueberries fresh or thawed and drained if frozen

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease loaf pan.

Mix gluten-free flour mix, almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt and set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg equivalent, vanilla and vegan milk.  Blend until well mixed.  Slowly fold in the dry ingredients and mix well. Add blueberries gently and mix by hand.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.  Cool, slice and enjoy.

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Open-Face Tempeh Pizza Sandwiches

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Janie

These are quick and easy to make. They remind me of pizza burgers, only way, way better.  And much better for you too.

8 oz. tempeh patty
1 cup  of your favorite marinara sauce
4 slices toasted gluten-free bread
Vegan mozzarella (I used Daiya)
Your favorite pizza toppings (I used marvelous mushrooms, purple onion rings and Kalamata olives)

Slice tempeh patty into four smaller patties.  I slice it thin and then slice each thin slice in half. Heat tempeh in pan with marinara sauce, simmer until warm, add vegan cheese and toppings, cover pan with lid so cheese melts. Toast bread.  Place the tempeh pizza patties on the bread. Eat.

 

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Almost Taco Tuesday

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Janie

OK, so it’s not technically a taco, but it is Tuesday and this was pretty tasty.  Hubby and I must have been on the same wavelength.  I saw a post for Vegan Taco Tuesday and knew I had the perfect set of ingredients to make some black bean and avocado tacos.  I worked late and when I got home, hubby had already eaten but left me some chopped tomato, avocado and polenta.  So…. quick and easy, 1. slice the polenta, 2. top with black beans, salsa, green chilies and Daiya cheddar, 3. heat and 4. add diced tomatoes and sliced avocados.  Ta-dah.  Quick dinner and almost Taco Tuesday!

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Crispy Not-Fried Onion Rings

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Janie

One of my favorite holiday dishes as a kid was green bean casserole. I loved sneaking some of the french fried onions straight from the can.  It’s been years since I’ve had them since they are not gluten-free. I don’t know if they’re vegan but I do know they have a lot of fat and aren’t the healthiest way to eat an onion.

With holiday meals right around the corner, I was missing these tasty little morsels, so I decided to play in the kitchen and see if I could come up with something similar.  It worked!  I used a purple onion because I like their flavor better than yellow. The batter is very mild and could easily be spiced up.  Since I was going for the mild flavor of the casserole onions and didn’t want them to overpower the dish, these are pretty close to the classic favorite.

Crispy Not-Fried Onion Rings

1 purple onion sliced into 1/4″ rings
1 tbs buckwheat flour
1 tbs potato flour
1 tbs rice flour
1 tbs tahini
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1  1/2 cups water

Mix flours, tahini, salt pepper and water thoroughly to make batter. It should be about the same consistency as pancake batter.  Dip onion slices into batter and coat. Remove from batter with a fork and let the excess batter drip back into the mixing bowl. Place coated onion ring on parchment paper or dehydrator sheets. Repeat until all you slices are coated and ready to dehydrate. Dry onion rings until crispy. Mine took about 32 hours and I started at 100 degrees for 18 hours, but they still a little chewy so I turned the dehydrator up to about 150 for a couple hours and then down to 125 degrees for another 12 hours and they were ready. You could also try baking in the oven. The key is to make sure they are completely dry and crispy before serving, so experiment with your baking equipment and enjoy!

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