Herb Pesto White Bean Quinoa Salad

Posted on June 23, 2012 by Janie

Summer is fresh herb time! I’m growing basil, cilantro, sage, thyme and apple mint in pots near my garden. After a hail storm almost took out most of my herbs a few weeks ago, they’ve finally revived and thrived enough for a haircut.

Tonight we’re heading to a vegan potluck and the thermometer has topped 100 degrees, so I wanted to try something different using my fresh herbs that could be served cold.  This turned out terrific!

Herb Pesto White Bean Quinoa Salad

6 cups cooked quinoa (how to cook quinoa)
2 15 oz. cans  Great Northern beans
1 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (I used the ones in olive oil)
1 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
2 cups herb pesto as made below

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss until everything is thoroughly mixed and coated with the pesto. Chill and serve.

You could also heat this dish in the oven and serve hot.

Herb Pesto

1 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 cups fresh basil (not chopped)
1 cup fresh mint (not chopped)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 – 5 fresh or dried sage leaves
2 tbs nutritional yeast
2 tbs vegetable bouillon powder
2 tbs dried red and/or green bell peppers (may substitute about ¼ cup fresh chopped peppers  – I use the dried ones since fresh organic is pricey)

Blend all ingredients in a high speed mixer or food processor until smooth and completely blended (no chunks). Makes about 2 cups.

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Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Bars

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Janie

Got a Craving for Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy But Don’t Want the Empty Calories? Try these yummy AND healthy treats!

These little beauties are not only sweet and decadent tasting, they’re packed with nutrition! I made up a batch for a neighborhood gathering last weekend and didn’t have any leftover to bring home. They’re quick and perfect for hot days since you don’t need to run your oven.

Peanut Butter Bars:

3 cups raw peanuts (not roasted or salted)
1/2 tsp salt
20 dates
1/2 tsp vanilla

In food processor with s-shaped blade, blend all  ingredients until they form a sticky dough ball.  Spread dough ball evenly in 9″ x 9″ pan.

Frosting:

1 ripe avocado
½ cup agave nectar
½ cup cocoa powder

In food processor with s-shaped blade, blend  all frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread frosting on top of peanut butter bars. Refrigerate for 15 – 30 minutes so they’re easier to work with. Cut into 1″ squares since a small bite is pretty satisfying.

Eat right away, or refrigerate to eat later. Makes one 9” x 9” pan.

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Vegan Vacation Part Seven – Good-Bye Kitchen, Hello All-Inclusive

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Janie

One week is never enough time to truly unwind on the beach.  Just when you get into the vibe, suddenly it’s time to go home to reality.  Last time we visited Playa Del Carmen, Hubby and I decided to make a pact to stay at least a few more days on our next visit.  Keeping our pact, we opted to splurge for five days at the Riu Playacar, an all-inclusive resort, just down the beach from our little studio.  On our first visit to Playa, seven years ago, we won a trip to the Riu Tequilla, just across the street.  Our memories of fabulous food made us want to rediscover the Riu and after cooking and doing dishes for all but two of our meals, I was really looking forward to a break.

Hubby and I were a little nervous about having enough food choices, but our fears were soon dispersed. They had a fabulous salad bar with the darkest leafy greens I’ve ever seen.  They called them spinach, but they didn’t look anything like the spinach in the U.S.  We learned the guacamole was also vegan.  If worse came to worse, we could live on greens, guacamole and fruit for the next five days.  Unfortunately, the cooked food was another story.  Almost everything had either meat or cheese added.  The few veggie choices they did have were mostly cooked in butter.

It was fun to have your salad ready chopped and all the fruit smoothies you can drink on demand, but by the end of the trip, we were both ready for anything besides greens and guacamole, which along with a few salad toppings and fruit, we did end up living on for five days.

But they were five fabulous, relaxing days on the beach.  And one amazing night watching the big orange moon rise over Cozumel while sitting in the lifeguard tower. Nature puts on an incredible show.

So overall, we managed to travel vegan and gluten-free without many hurdles.  The trip was wonderful and we learned a little about how to overcome the challenges faced in as vegans on the road. We came home feeling healthy, happy and rested.  Now that I’ve been home for a few days, I’m already missing the beach. Guacamole and a fruit smoothie anyone?

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Vegan Vacation Part Six – Tortugas and Mamey

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Janie

This was supposed to be our snorkel with the turtles day.  We had planned to rent a car and drive just north of Tulum to snorkel with the big sea turtles.  The safe in our room broke and because we had to hang out while they tried unsuccessfully to fix it, we got a really late start.  When we finally got to Akumal , we had no idea exactly where the turtles were. Taking a guess, we went the wrong way but saw a little dirt road down to the beach, and decided to just throw on the snorkel gear and head for the water before the sun went down. To our delight, the beach was all coral and we saw some beautiful fish and underwater vegetation.  We headed back to town to walk around and learn where to go the next day to find the turtles.

On the way to town, we met a fruit vendor who gave us a taste of  Mamey. This incredible fruit’s taste, color and texture reminded us of pumpkin pie minus the cinnamon. It was starchy,  incredibly sweet with a hint of vanilla or caramel. Rumor has it they are also an aphrodisiac. We bought two to eat for dinner.  If only I could find them back home.

The following day, after needing to wait yet again for our safe to be repaired, we finally got to snorkel with the turtles. Being so close to these huge and wonderful creatures was such an amazing experience and worth the persistance.

We tried to stay 3 meters away from this one, who decide to change directions right in front of us!

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Xel-Ha – Vegan Vacation Part Five

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Janie

Just north of Tulum you’ll find Xel-Ha, a fun, all-inclusive day of snorkeling and playing in the water.  They have a huge buffet and it does have a few vegan options. They offered salad, fruit, corn chips, guacamole and some salsas.  If the salsa says “caliente,” trust the label.  I like hot food, but some of these salsas can set your mouth on fire.  Hubby and I stuck with fruits and fresh raw vegetables for our food that day, but it was the perfect thing to eat since most of the day we were in the water.

This is our third visit to Xel-Ha.  The first time, the water seemed much cleaner and it wasn’t very crowded.  Now, sadly, there are signs everywhere, begging people not to wear chemical sunscreen in the water because ingredients in sunscreen are harmful to the fish.  We could tell there were less fish to see and it made me sad.  We did see a couple sting rays and Hubby is pretty sure he saw a big barracuda.  Maybe it wasn’t the sunscreen that made the fish disappear after all.

Our favorite part of the day was playing on the zip lines.  Here’s a picture of hubby on the hand held version.  I don’t quite have the biceps he does, so I opted for the sitting version. You splash into the water at the end. Fun!

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Vegan Vacation Part Four – Kaxapa – Best Vegan Food in Playa

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Janie

Kaxapa

We finally found the wonderful vegan-friendly restaurant we were searching for on my birthday! Daylight, and having the name and address handy, sure help a lot. It was off the beaten path, but well worth the trip.  Thank you, Happy Cow! We arrived at an off-time, so we weren’t hungry for a meal, but had a chance to talk with Jadie, the owner, pictured above. She and her family are from Venezuela and are some of the most warm, friendly people you’ll ever meet.  She told us about the vegan and gluten-free options and gave us samples of amazingly fresh juices. She was very knowledgeable about vegan and gluten-free diets and told us her sister is working towards being vegan.

The next night we went back to Kaxapa (pron. Ka-shop-uh) for an incredible dinner. We ordered all three vegan, gluten-free items and shared them. It was just the right amount of food for a light dinner for both of us.

The restaurant’s namesake dish is the Kaxapa, a corn flour pancake filled with an assortment of veggies.

The pancake is nice and thick with a perfect chewy consistency.  The veggies are slightly spicy and blend perfectly together with the corn pancake.

The Arepa was a  soft, sandwich  pocket  made of  corn flour and stuffed with spiced veggies.

My favorite was the Patacon.  The “bread” is actually fried plantains. You’d never know it wasn’t made from grain. It reminded me of toasted bread – soft and starchy on the inside and crispy on the outside. The veggies were nicely spiced and I really resisted ordering second one. It was an unbelievably good sandwich!

We had a great conversation with Jadie about some ideas for vegan desserts and felt like we made some new friends.  If we didn’t have so much food left in our mini fridge at the hotel, we would have eaten there a few more times.  I’d highly recommend Kaxapa for a wonderful meal.

Thanks Jadie and family for your fantastic cooking and hospitality!!

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Birthday on 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen – Vegan Vacation Part Three

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Janie

Kaan Kab


A girl shouldn’t have to cook for her birthday so we ventured into town for a celebration dinner. Playa Del Carmen’s famous 5th Avenue is packed with shops and restaurants, most of which cater strictly to the carnivorous crowd.  Hubby had printed out a list of vegan friendly place from Happy Cow but left it sitting on the table back in our hotel.  Grrrr….

One place had rave reviews and sounded perfect. The owners were familiar with what vegan and gluten-free meant and had three gluten-free, vegan options on the menu.  But with our notes sitting back at the hotel, we fumbled along. We had an idea of the cross street and that the name of the restaurant started with a “K”, but neither of us could remember the actual name. After walking and wandering and not finding it, we were getting really hungry.

We started reading menus and asking if food was available for “ve-he-tarian estricto”  (You must roll your r’s when saying.  Try saying estricto three times fast – I have trouble saying it once!)  After a few rejections,  we decided to ask the staff at at Kaan Kab, a Mayan Seafood and Steakhouse, nonetheless – but what the heck – it started with a “K”.  To our delight, they knew what we needed. We were treated to guacamole, corn tortillas, rice and an array of veggies sauteed in vegetable oil.  We also had some vino tino (red wine) and a great table on the street for people watching.

Ah Cacao
One indulgence we could continue, despite our new diet, was our visit to Ah Cacao – yummiest chocolate on the Riviera Maya and the 70% dark is vegan. We bought two bars and savored a few bites each day. A girl needs a little cacao on her birthday!

Vegan “Gelato” We stopped at a couple gelato shops on the walk back to the hotel and found some dairy free options. One had soy chocolate gelato and it was pretty good. We shared a couple scoops. Another, Aldo’s, had a lemon dairy free sorbet. Hubby said it was too sweet, so I didn’t have to share. It was my birthday, after all.

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Canadian Chicken Seasoning and Lentil Stew Without Chicken – Vegan Vacation Part Two

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Janie

At home, I have an arsenal of spices.  Oops.  Knew I forgot to buy something!  The salsa added flavor, but after suffering through a couple bland meals, I sent Hubby down to the bar to get a little salt for the week.  Salt is great, but gets a little lonely without a few spices.  We needed a little spice in our vacation plans and we were really missing nuts. (Yeah, I know, that sounds pretty funny, but I’m being literal here.)

We both love to walk and had already purchased the heavy stuff, so we took off on foot to Sam’s Club in Playacar, a couple miles from our hotel.  The walk takes you past some cool Mayan ruins and beautiful homes along the golf course.

It was fun to compare the Mexican Sam’s to ours. It was surprisingly similar, but more expensive for most items. Probably because they were imported from the U.S. We did find nuts but about had a heart attack when we saw the price – about $25.00 for a bag that costs $10 in the states – not a deal.   In the snack section, we discovered some reasonably priced, overly salted, lemony peanuts.  I could add those to a salad for some zing and extra protein. We also found beautiful red tomatoes and a big bag of ripe avocados.


The best discovery was the Canadian Chicken Seasoning.  It was savory, slightly orangey made everything taste really good.  No need to add chicken.

We alternated between spinach salads with onion, avocados, beans and salsa and cooked meals with various combinations of all the different items we had in the kitchen.  My favorite combo of the week was the lentil stew.

Lentil Stew

1 cup lentils
2 cups water
1 16 oz jar pasta sauce
8 cups raw spinach
½ cup chopped onion
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp Canadian Chicken Seasoning
Pinch Salt

In covered sauce pan, boil water. Add lentils, bring to boil, cover, turn down heat to simmer and stir occasionally until soft.

In soup pan, sauté onions in olive oil until brown.  Add pasta sauce, spinach, seasoning and salt. Cook on medium heat until spinach is soft. Add  cooked lentils. Allow ingredients to simmer together for about 10 minutes and serve with  your favorite cracker, or if you’re lucky enough to find some, tortillas nopales. Serves 4 as a main dish.

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Our Little Cucina by the Playa – Vegan Vacation Part One

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Janie


When you’re landlocked and haven’t taken a vacation for 18 months, the fresh, salty sea breeze is a truly breath of gratitude that fills your soul.  Yes, Hubby and I were  fortunate travelers to beautiful Playa Del Carmen, Mexico for 12 almost perfect days.

We’ve been to Playa several times and own a small timeshare studio on the beach.  But this would be our first time discovering how we’d fare with our gluten-free, vegan diet.  Would we find tons of delicious things to eat, or would we be living on papaya for the next twelve days? The adventure begins.

The trip started out with a layover in Houston. We found a cool little place that allowed us to build our own salads.  So with greens in our bellies and about $20 less in our wallet, we were off to Mexico.

We arrived at our hotel and were welcomed by a lovely reception.  The timeshare staff treats us very well and of course, tries to sell us excursions, spa packages, the all inclusive meal package… you get the idea.  The also feed us to get us to say “yes.”  We said “no” but we did eat fruit, some cucumbers, jicama, some ridiculously hot chipotle salsa and fresh orange juice.

Once we got settled in, it was time to hail a cab to the grocery store, Mega, to stock up on food for week one. Mega has organic food and a big selection of fresh produce.

And Mega has tortillas nopales.  Chances are, if you live in the U.S. A., you’ve never had these tasty cactus treats.  We have tons of Hispanic markets where we live and can’t find them in stores. We’ve been looking since the first time we tried them, years ago and no luck except online. These scrumptious little cactus and corn tortillas are very high in fiber and very low in carbs.  A vegan, gluten-free, dieters dream. We toast ours to make tostadas or chips.  Every time we go to Mexico, we can’t wait to eat tortillas nopales.

We took a long time to comb the isles.  Hubby does speak and read some Spanish and I know enough to be dangerous, so reading labels in a foreign language was really an adventure.  Harina (wheat/flour) was in lots of items.  We did manage to find lots of fresh fruit, bagged washed spinach, onions,  really funky mushrooms,  beans without lard, garbanzos, lentils, organic rice cakes, blackberry jam without HFC, salsa, tomatillo salsa, olive oil and some organic vegan pasta sauce. Finding 100% juice was a challenge.  We couldn’t understand why many juices had added Sorbitol – yuck!  We found grape, orange and grapefruit without added sugars or artificial sweeteners.

Nuts were like gold.  They are a staple in our diet but after looking at the prices – about double what we pay at home – we opted to try and go nut-free.

My tiny kitchen by the sea was stocked and ready for a quick dinner of tortillas, beans and salsa. The next morning, I made breakfast – organic gluten-free grain cakes, organic jam, bananas and gluten-free granola sprinkles, juice, tea and an ocean view.

Hola Playa Del Carmen!

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A Healthy Chocolate Brownie Fix? Oh Yeah!!!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Janie

Raw Vegan BrowniesRaw Vegan Gluten-Free Brownies

The ripe avocado on my counter was just begging to become part of a luscious cocoa frosting, topping these wonderful raw brownies.  I decided to try adding figs since I had some I needed to use.  I love the little crunchy seeds, but if you prefer, you can substitute dates for a smoother flavor. These taste truly decadent, but there’s nothing decadent to ruin your diet! Plus, with only 8 simple ingredients, they didn’t take long to prepare. They’ll stay fresh for at least a week in the fridge. (If you can make them last that long.) Enjoy these guilt free goodies!

Brownies:

1 cup walnuts
1 cup cocoa
8-10  pitted medjool  dates
4-5 dried figs
1 Tbs. vanilla

Blend all brownie ingredients in food processor with low s-shaped blade.  I started with 4 figs and 8 dates and added another fig and a couple more dates. You may try the lesser amount and if brownies are too dry, add a few more dates and/or figs for consistency.  Press and shape batter evenly in 9”x 9” pan. Set aside for frosting.

Frosting:

1 ripe avocado
½ cup agave nectar
½ cup cocoa powder

In food processor with s-shaped blade, blend  all frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread on top of brownies. I cut into 1″ squares since they taste quite rich.

Eat right away, or refrigerate to eat later. Makes one 9” x 9” pan.

Pan of Raw Vegan Brownies

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Peeling Garlic

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Janie

Happy April Foods Day!

I thought this could be an April Fool’s joke when I started watching this video from Weelicious, but looks like it works.  I could have used this tip today. I made some successful new recipes (posts coming soon) and used up almost a whole head of garlic.  That means lots of clove peeling. I’ve also decided to go natural with my finger nails and I’m in that “growing out the weak nails” stage where they cannot be used as tools, so peeling the garlic cloves was quite a challenge.

It you try this, let me know if it works for you!

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Top O’ The Mornin’ Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Smoothie

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Janie

st patricks vegan green smoothieWhat better way to start off the day than with a green smoothie?  And what better day to have a green smoothie than St. Patty’s? So, here’s my healthy take on the “Shamrock Shake.”

Ingredients
12 oz. almond milk or your favorite vegan milk
10 baby carrots
1 ripe banana
1 ripe sweet apple
1 cup spinach
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp peppermint extract (or if you’re lucky enough to find some, add fresh mint in place of extract)
½ cup ice
1 scoop vegan protein powder (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Enjoy and have a save and healthy St.Pat’s!

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Cabbage Noodles for St. Patty’s Day

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Janie

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Weekend (almost)! 

Cabbage Noodles with Fresh Vegan PestoIt’s also happy “cabbage is on sale big time” weekend and that makes me a happy camper.  I’ve been gluten-free for almost 10 years, long before you could pop in to your local grocery store and grab some brown rice noodles. So back in the day, I had to be really creative and came up with several alternatives for “noodles,” one of which was cabbage noodles.  With all the great products on the market, I haven’t made these in awhile, but with two organic cabbages on sale for a buck, and me wanting to drop a few pounds before summer, now seemed like a perfect time to revisit this idea.

It’s really simple to make cabbage noodles and they freeze well, so make a whole bunch now while the price is right.

First, wash your cabbage well and remove any brown or wilted leaves. Cut in half.

Remove the hard stems.

Remove stems from cabbage

Lay cabbage middle side down and start making long, thin “noodle width” slices, starting from the top.

Fill a shallow pan so it’s covered ½” deep with water. Place “noodles” in the pan and cover. Turn the heat on high until water starts to steam. Turn heat down to low and simmer until “noodles’ reach your desired consistency.  Usually I prefer my veggies raw or lightly steamed, but in this case, I cook the cabbage about an hour until it’s very soft and has more of a noodle taste and feel.

Top cabbage noodles with your favorite sauce; they’re pictured at the top of the page with some of my Fresh Vegan Pesto for a lovely green and festive St. Patty’s Day dish.

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Curried Veggies with Riced Cauliflower

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Janie

After talking to a new friend on LinkedIn who advocates the Esselstyn type of vegan diet, I realized it would be good for hubby and me to eat more oil free meals. I’m trying to cut back on starchy carbs to get in better shape. We both need to watch fats and oils to avoid heart issues. She’s doing it right, and I can do better with my diet.

So tonight, I perused my fridge in search of something a little different and came up with this curry. It has no oil, no starches and still satisfies. You can substitute any veggies you have on hand to equal about 4 1/2 cups; it’s really the sauce that makes this dish come to life.   This version is low in sodium and not hot spicy, just flavorful.  Certainly, adding a little more salt and red or black pepper might be an option, but as written below, it’s super healthy and we both really enjoyed this meal.

Vegan, Oil-Free, Mixed Veggie Curry with Riced Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower
¼ cup chopped onion (I used a purple onion)
½ cup chopped carrots
6 chopped celery stalks (including leaves)
1/2 cup chopped kale
1 cup chopped bok choy
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup snap peas
2 cups vegetable broth or prepared bullion
1 ½ cups dried mixed mushrooms
2 dried shitake mushrooms
1 Tbs dried red bell pepper
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp of each: ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, garam masala, cumin, and ground coriander

Place cauliflower in a large pot and fill with 1” of water. Bring to boil, cover, turn down heat and let simmer until soft.

Combine onion, carrots, celery, kale, bok choy, broccoli and snap peas to a frying pan with a small amount of water covering the pan.  Bring to boil, cover and turn down heat. Simmer about 10 minutes.

In a powerful blender, combine broth, mushrooms, red bell peppers nutritional yeast and spices. Blend at high speed until all ingredients become a smooth, thick sauce. (You can substitute fresh mushrooms and peppers, but increase the amount a bit and reduce the liquid broth.)

Check pan of veggies and drain or steam off excess water.  Pour blended sauce over veggies and simmer until hot.

Remove cauliflower from pan and smash desired amount on each plate until it looks similar to rice.  You can also blend the cauliflower for a mashed potato consistency.

Spoon veggies and sauce over cauliflower and serve.

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Gluten-Free, Vegan Mexican “Lasagna”

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Janie

This is a quick and easy dish, perfect for the potluck or making a big pan so you can enjoy the leftovers. Its layers remind me of lasagna, but the taste is distinctly Mexican.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Mexican “Lasagna”

24 soft corn tortillas
3 cups vegan refried beans
½ cup vegan cheddar “cheese” (I use Daiya)
1 cup your favorite vegan salsa
Fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish and layer 8 tortillas across the bottom. Spread a layer of refried beans across the tortillas and spread a layer of salsa on top of the beans. Sprinkle lightly with cheese.  Repeat layers, making the top layer the most generous and bake in oven at 325 degrees until cheese is melted and all ingredients are hot. (30 – 45 minutes). Cut into squares and top with fresh cilantro.

I also made a version with a layer of mashed sweet potatoes.  Hubby didn’t like it as much, but I loved it.  Experiment with different layers and please share if you find a good one!

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Raw Cocoa Vegan Bonbon Balls

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Janie

Chocolate Bon Bon Balls

I’m posting these in honor of Presidents’ Day, but really, does a girl need a holiday or even an excuse to eat chocolate.  Why give up something so tasty and full of antioxidants? Of course, make sure it’s vegan, gluten-free and not loaded with processed ingredients or saturated fats.  I whipped up these yummy little sweets in just a few minutes. They’re super chocolaty, slightly sweet, easy to make and good for you!

Raw Cocoa Bonbon Balls

3/4 cup cocoa powder (should be 100% cocoa)
3/4 cup almond butter
6 – 8 pitted dates
1/8 cup chopped almonds (enough to coat the outside of the bonbons)

Blend cocoa powder, almond butter and dates in food processor with “S” shaped low blade until all ingredients are mixed into a doughy ball. You may need to stop the process and scrape sides of bowl until every thing mixes. If your mixture is dry, slowly add a very small amount of water until it reaches the right consistency.  Shape dough into 1″  balls and roll balls in chopped almonds. Serve or store in airtight container.

Makes about 2 dozen bonbons.

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Raw Vegan “Cookie Dough” Balls

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Janie

When you were a kid, didn’t you just love to eat raw cookie dough?  I used to wish my mom would leave the soft little rolled cookies out of the oven.  But she would always tell me I shouldn’t eat raw eggs, and of course, now I don’t eat eggs at all, so no raw cookie dough for me.

I was experimenting with some ideas to bring over to a friend’s house for dessert and ended up making these little balls that totally taste like raw cookie dough.  And they’re healthy too!  Three simple ingredients and a food processor and voila! But warning – my dinner friends agree, they are addictive.

Raw Vegan “Cookie Dough” Balls

1 cup chopped almonds
6 large dates (pitted)
1 Tsp vanilla

Place almonds in food processor with low “S” blade and chop until very fine. Add dates and vanilla.  Puree in food processor, stopping to scrape dough off sides and back into the blade as needed until mixture is the consistency of cookie dough. Roll into 1 – 2” balls and serve.  Makes about 24 1” balls or 12 2” balls.

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Happy Valentine’s Day – Heart Shaped Gluten-Free Vegan Pizza

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Janie

I was delightfully surprised with a beautiful bouquet of red roses, lilies and carnations from hubby.  I think I’ll keep him around for awhile.

My Valentine’s Day treat for him was a heart shaped, gluten-free, vegan pizza. I used Bob’s Red Mill pizza crust and substituted En-R-G Egg Replacer for the eggs, slathered on some delicious organic red sauce, sprinkled on Daiya mozzarella and topped it off with Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and green onions.  It took about 90 minutes to make from start to finish and about 15 minutes to devour! Yum – love at first bite!

 

 

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Super Quick Vegan Gluten-Free Green Chili

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Janie

There’s nothing like a bowl of chili to warm you during these cold winter months. It makes a great meal and a perfect treat for the big game.  It’s also something you can make ahead of time, or even make a large batch and freeze individual servings to heat up later.

This is my version for today. Sometimes I vary ingredients depending on what I have handy.  I added some pumpkin to this version. You can’t even tell it’s there, but you could also substitute potatoes or squash to thicken it up.

½ cup chopped onion
2 stalks chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic
2 tbs high heat appropriate cooking oil (I like avocado or sunflower)
1 25 oz. can pinto beans
1 25 oz. can black beans
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped green chilies
2 small cans tomato paste
1 cup cooked pumpkin squash (optional but use fresh cooked – not canned)
4 tbls vegan buillon and 4 cups water (or 4 cups vegetable broth)
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp dried cilantro or ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp mesquite spice
Salt and pepper to taste

Start with a large soup pan. Brown onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in oil slowly until tender and slightly browned.  Drain beans and add to the pan. Do not drain tomatoes or chilies (if you are using canned).  Add all the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour. Serve or refrigerate/freeze and reheat when ready to eat.

Serves 8

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Heavenly Hummus

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Janie

Hummus is great for dipping vegetables, but it also makes a wonderful salad dressing.  I found a tasty organic version with spicy red peppers  that I keep on hand for a quick meal, but today, I decided to make some from scratch.

First, I made my own tahini (recipe is posted here) but you can certainly buy some at your local ethnic or healthy grocery store.  I used canned garbanzo beans because I live at a high altitude and have had very little success preparing dried beans that taste decent. Water boils at a lower temperature, so getting it hot enough to soften the beans is difficult. If you’re a raw foodist, you could use soaked garbanzos.  I haven’t tried soaking garbanzos, but again, the pintos I tried to soak were awful. If you have suggestions on cooking or soakig dried beans from scratch at a high altitude, please share!

So, back to making the hummus…  It’s a simple recipe you can use as a base and add other ingredients like roasted peppers, Kalamata olives, or whatever sounds good. I really like the simple traditional version. It has a nice subtle nutty flavor and doesn’t overpower.

1/4 cup tahini
1 25 oz. can garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs lemon juice
1 ½ cups water

Combine tahini, garbanzo beans, garlic, salt, lemon juice and ½ cup water in a food processor with the bottom blade setting.  Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add additional water slowly through the process as needed until hummus reaches your desired thickness and smoothness.  I like mine very smooth, so I blend it for about 10 minutes.

Makes about 2 cups.

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