My TOP 5: Money Saving Tips + BONUS!!

Welcome to the first edition of My TOP 5! In this new series, I will share some of my top five favorites--it might feature a specific ingredient, meal, or dessert! (That might be hard, though. I love dessert...Narrowing it down to five? Not easy.)

The first in this series is Money Saving Tips. What does this have to do with food, you might ask? Oh, read on, my friend! Read on.

We all want to save money, I hope. I like to think of myself as a thrifty person, but I've noticed lately that it's too easy to just swipe a card (credit, of course) and not ever think of the *actual* money that's being exchanged. Really, the only place I have this problem is in the grocery store. It's easy to impulse buy.

TIP #1: Envelope System -- We recently implemented this after attending a financial planning series. Set a budget for groceries, whether it's weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Withdraw that amount from your paycheck in cash and keep it in a secured envelope. Every time you go to the grocery store, use cash from the grocery fund, and tuck the receipts into the envelope after your purchase. I've noticed that when I do this, it helps me to think, "Do I really need this item?" "Which store should I shop to make my money stretch farther?" Sometimes I have to revamp my weekly menu because there are not enough funds to cover a specialty item I might need.

TIP #2: Shop Bulk (not always, though) -- We invested in a Costco membership several years ago. It has repaid itself multiple times. We buy cereal, canned beans, rice, flour, pasta, pasta sauce, frozen vegetables, paper products, clothes, etc. Now, we are a family of four. If you are single, Costco or Sam's Club may not be a money saving option for you. Most of the items we purchase are non-perishable, so they do not go bad before we're able to use them. Now that WOULD be a waste of money!

TIP #3: Make Your Own -- This will *nearly* always save you money. As a vegan/vegetarian, I grew up on processed vegetarian meat analogs. While they're delicious, they are not the best for your health or wallet. They're super high in sodium and difficult to digest. Plus there are limited quantities in the package--sausage patties or sausage links usually only last one meal. So, why spend nearly $5 on a product that's not that great for you and doesn't go very far? Recently I made some oat based breakfast patties (one recipe yields 64 patties). They're perfect to freeze and reheat whenever you feel like "sausage" is necessary. I also like to make my own pancake and waffle mix. Commercial mixes contain powdered ingredients like eggs and fat that are high in oxidized cholesterol. When you make your own, you know what's inside. You can feel good about what you're feeding your family. One other thing...instead of buying a cake or cupcakes for a party, I make my own. The best part about that one is licking the spoon...

TIP #4: Eat Beans -- Staple foods, non-processed, will save you money. We eat beans. A lot of beans. Or lentils. Supplement with a whole grain like brown rice, whip up a salad, and you have a cheap and very balanced meal.

TIP #5: Plan Ahead -- If you can, plan your meals ahead of time. When you're mixing a soup or casserole, make extra to put in the freezer. Not all casseroles freeze well, but most soups, unless they are cream based, will freeze and thaw nicely for a quick and healthy meal. One thing that has helped me recently is to make a huge batch of cookie dough, scoop it into ready-made portions, then freeze them before baking so they're ready when I am! So nice to look in my freezer and see chocolate chip cookie dough staring at me!

As a bonus, I thought I'd share my Breakfast Patty recipe with you...just in case you need 64 breakfast patties in your freezer. My six-year-old tasted one: "Mmmm. Thank you for making these, Mom! They're good." Hey, I think I can live with that!

Ingredients:

 3 1/2 cups water

1/4 Braggs Liquid Aminos (or low sodium Tamari)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 Tb. oil

1 - 2 Tb. dried minced onion (or granulated, but you'd probably use less)

1 Tb. pure maple syrup

1 Tb. Italian seasoning (I mixed 1 tsp. each of thyme, basil, and Italian seasoning)

1 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

pinch cayenne or red pepper flakes, optional

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup white beans (cannellini, chickpeas, etc.)

1 cup firm tofu, drained and crumbled

1 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat couscous

3 Tb. ground flax seed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly sprayed foil.

In a medium pot, combine first nine ingredients and bring to a boil. Add oats and turn down heat. Allow to simmer for a few moments, then remove from heat. Puree white beans with firm tofu in a food processor until smooth, then add to the pot with the seasoned oats. Add cooked grain and flax seed, and stir to combine well. Allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes. It will thicken as it cools. You may want to sample a pinch of the dough and adjust seasonings to your taste.

Using a 1-in. ice cream scoop, spoon oat mixture onto prepared cooking sheet. Flatten each patty gently with the bottom of a measuring cup that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. It just makes it easier to release the dough without sticking to your cup. Bake at 350* for about 15 minutes, turn patties and allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before freezing.

Tofu Scramble over Whole Grain Toast and Gravy
Oatmeal Breakfast Patties

Apple Pie Scones

I'm discovering that Fall really is my favorite time of year. I love all seasons, but the smells, colors, and tastes of autumn are easy to fall in love with...(I just love a good pun, especially when it comes so effortlessly.)

My friend, Amanda (She has a fantastic blog: Maple Alps) challenged me to create something delicious with apples. (You'll have to check out her Apple Cinnamon Rolls here!) I began to mentally flip through my cognitive recipe index. Hmm...apple pancakes? Apple pie squares? Apple salad? Apple scones? AH HA! Apple scones...with a luscious maple or caramel drizzle. That will be my contribution to your fall breakfast routine.

Apple Pie Scones (with toasted pecans)

So, I created this recipe in an unusual way. I like the idea of caramel apple pie, so decided that I'd make a caramel sauce to toss the apples in before folding them into my dry ingredients. That worked well, until the moisture from the apples turned my caramel sauce into...well...NOT caramel sauce. Not to be deterred, I used my caramel apple "soup" and mixed everything together, gently patted the dough into a square (about 1-in. - 1 1/2-in. thick), and cut those babies into triangles. I laid them out on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and baked them for about 15 minutes--or until they were beautifully golden brown on top and bottom. 

Mmmmm. We loved them! Even without a drizzle on top! I think I've made these every week for the last four weeks. 

Here is your list of ingredients:

2 apples, peeled, sliced thin
3 Tb. Earth Balance, or other non-dairy margarine
3 Tb. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla, opt.

2 1/2 cups flour (I've made these half white/half whole wheat pastry flour and it's a beautiful thing. )
1 scant Tb. aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. brown sugar
3 Tb. Earth Balance

Instructions:

1) Peel and slice apples of choice.
2) In a saucepan, over medium high heat, melt 3 Tb. Earth Balance with 3 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk until the brown sugar completely melts and incorporates with the margarine and a caramel-like substance emerges.
3) Add sliced apples to caramel mix and stir to combine well. Add lemon zest and cinnamon and mix. Vanilla goes in, too, if you're using it.
4) Allow to gently cook for a few minutes until apples are semi-soft. Turn off heat and set aside.
5) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
6) Cut 3 Tb. Earth Balance into the flour mixture until it resembles pebbles.
7) Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, then pour in slightly cooled apple/caramel sauce.
8) Using a fork, stir apples and flour mix together until it forms a dough, then turn out onto your counter and lightly knead just two or three times until it all comes together. (You don't want to work it too much or the scones will be tough.)
9) Form the dough into a 8 x 8 square about 1 - 1 1/2 in. thick.
10) Using a large sharp knife, cut dough vertically into three strips, then horizontally into three strips, forming 6 pieces. Cut each of those pieces to form triangles.
11) Place each scone onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet, allowing space between each for rising.
12) Bake at 415*F for about 18 minutes, or until scones are beautifully golden. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Yield: 18 small/medium scones

If you like these, you'll also want to try Crystal's homemade apple croissants at her beautiful blog: CW Design.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Macadamia Chunks and Toasted Coconut

So. Long name for a cookie, right? But these cookies pack a wallop of flavor. I finished one cookie and thought, "I'm not sure if these are quite done. Perhaps I should sample another one..." I'm glad I have a measure of self control, or the entire pan of cookies might have just ended up in my mouth.

This is a great recipe to experiment with. Instead of macadamia nuts, I've substituted hazelnuts. You could use pecans or walnuts, too. Instead of chocolate chips, why not try white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips? So many options, so little time. Oooh! I think next time I'll try white chocolate, cranberry, and walnut.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup Earth Balance or other non-dairy margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg (or 1 Tb. ground flax seed combined with 3 Tb. warm water to form a gel)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup coarsely chopped raw macadamia nuts

1/3 to 1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, non-dairy (I use Kirkland brand from Costco, but there are others you can find, too.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flours, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Cream Earth Balance and brown sugar together with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add flax gel and vanilla, and mix again until well blended. Gradually add in flour mixture, continuing to beat on low under all flour is incorporated. Stir in oats, coconut, macadamia nuts, and chocolate chips. 

Scoop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cookies should be about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 24 cookies

Whole Grain Pancakes

I needed a new recipe for pancakes. I just wanted to create one that was whole grain, but not too heavy. This recipe combines cornmeal, buckwheat, and wheat flour to produce a light, but hearty pancake. It's also oil and refined-sugar free. That means I can eat like...five of them, right? ;-)

Ingredients:

1 cup white flour

1/3 + 1/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/3 + 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

3 1/2 tsp. aluminum free baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 scant tsp. cinnamon (opt.)

4 Tb. unsweetened applesauce

4 Tb. maple syrup

2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

1 Tb. vanilla

Instructions:

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients, mixing to combine. 

Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto hot non-stick skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until bottom is beautifully golden brown. Flip and cook for another minute or two. Serve with peanut butter, applesauce, or any other toppings you desire. Warm thickened fruit sauce is delicious!

Curried Cauliflower Salad (Aloo Gobhi style)

This salad is a twist on one of my favorite Indian dishes: Aloo Gobhi. The blend of flavors and textures is just so good. I had some leftover roasted potatoes from breakfast and thought that this would be a creative and delicious way to "repurpose" them! :-)

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, rinsed
1 cup roasted russet potatoes
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup cilantro, rinsed well and chopped
2 Tb. red onion, minced
1 serrano pepper, deseeded and minced

Dressing:
2 Tb. mango juice (nectar)
2 Tb. olive oil
1 Tb. apple cider vinegar
1 Tb. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar or other sweetener

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. After rinsing cauliflower, cut the head into bite size florets. On a cookie sheet, toss florets with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes at 400 until cauliflower is somewhat browned and wilted. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Toss in chopped cilantro and whisk.

In a medium serving bowl, mix together roasted cauliflower,  roasted potatoes, peas, red onion, and serrano pepper. Drizzle dressing over the vegetables and stir to combine. Check seasonings and adjust to taste.

Servings: 2 - 4 (Although if you are like me, I'd eat the whole bowl!)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Also known in our house as Grandma's famous "chickie-noo-noo", chicken noodle soup is a staple. It's simple, satisfying, and the ultimate comfort food, right? 

You can use your own favorite pasta in this recipe. Wide egg noodles are a favorite, short vermicelli are a close second. 

I wanted to highlight one of my favorite vegetarian seasonings, Seitenbacher, on the blog today. I was looking for a chicken style broth base and my local health food store didn't have the brand I usually use. They did, however, have Seitenbacher. I decided I'd give it a try and it's become one of my favorites! It has a different combination of herbs and isn't as high in sodium as another leading brand. Look for it at your health food store. 

Also, if you're looking to add a meaty element to your soup, you could add a few diced chicken patties or reconstituted soy curls to your soup. I tend to leave the meat substitutes out. 

Ingredients:

1 Tb. oil of choice

1 small onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

8 cups water

1/2 cup vegetarian chicken seasoning (McKays, Bills Best, Vegetarian Express, Seitenbacher)

2 tsp. granulated garlic

1 TB. Nutritional yeast flakes

4-5 oz. vermicelli or angel hair pasta, broken up into 2 in. pieces

Salt, to taste 

Instructions:

In a large pot, sauté vegetables in oil until crisp-tender. Add water and seasonings and bring to a boil. Add noodles of choice and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer until noodles are cooked through and veggies are tender, about 10-12 minutes. 

Serves 6. 

My New Craze

It may seem like a small thing-everyone has already probably discovered this delicious treat-but I absolutely LOVE it. Like can't keep my hands out of the bowl love. It doesn't stay around very long so I've made it four times this week already. Kettle Corn. Better-for-You Kettle Corn, 'cause I use coconut oil instead of regular oil. 

Ingredients: 

2 Tb. Coconut oil, unrefined

2 Tb. Brown sugar or cane sugar

1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1/2 cup popping corn 

In a Whirly-Pop type mechanism, heat oil, sugar, and salt over medium high heat then add popping corn and continuously turn the handle until corn begins to pop and it gets too difficult/full to turn. Pour into a large bowl. I usually double this recipe for our family of six. 

Enjoy this super easy, super tasty snack! 

This recipe was inspired/created by my friend, Stephanie Howard, during an evening of fun fellowship.

Going Green

It's a brand new morning! There's nothing better than waking up early, spending time in quiet reflection and prayer, getting a good run in and rebooting my metabolism with an awesome green juice. 

I'd like to share my favorite green juice recipe with you. We invested in a Breville Juice Fountain a year ago, after watching a documentary on the benefits of juicing. I try to juice at least a few times a week, not as a weight loss method, but to add a nutrient boost to my diet. 

I call this Pineapple Limeade. 

Ingredients:

2 leaves curly kale, washed

Handful of mint, washed

2 small green apples

1 medium lemon, washed and half of peel removed

1 medium lime, washed and half of peel removed

Quarter sized 1/4-in. thick slice of ginger, peeled 

1/3 of a pineapple, peeled (of course!)

Feed through your juicer and enjoy the tangy sweet zinger! 

Makes 24 oz. 

Southwestern Quinoa Soup

This soup is pretty versatile. Swap chickpeas for black beans and add curry powder (to taste) for a different twist on flavor. Throw in a few handfuls of chopped kale during the last several minutes of cooking time for an added nutritional boost. If you're not fond of cilantro, you can omit that ingredient. 

2 Tbs. Oil

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 yellow or orange pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

6 cups vegetable broth or water

1 Tb. Vegetarian chicken seasoning 

1 tsp (or more) cumin

Salt, to taste

Dash oregano

Handful of cilantro, chopped

1/2 a lime, squeezed (opt)

Sauté all veggies (except beans) in oil until softened. Add quinoa and cook for a few minutes. Add beans, broth, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a medium boil until veggies are cooked through and potatoes and quinoa are tender. Add lime juice and cilantro during the last few minutes of cook time. Adjust seasonings to your taste. 

Serves 4-6

Monster Breakfast Cookies

As a busy wife and mother, I'm always looking for new ways to provide a nutritious and quick breakfast for my family. These breakfast cookies pack a protein punch with a combination of almond butter, chia seeds, and crunchy almond pieces. Plus, you get some hearty omega-3 action from the addition of ground flax seeds. I hope you enjoy these tasty, breakfast-on-the-run style cookies.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine (such as Earth Balance)

1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder (I use aluminum free.)

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

6 Tb. chia gel (made from 2 Tb. chia seeds mixed with 1 cup water and allowed to set)

2 tsp. pure vanilla

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free flour blend (I used King Arthur's, but you can use your favorite.) or 

                regular all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups regular or rolled oats (I used half quick, half rolled oats.)

1/3 cup ground flax seeds

1 heaping Tb. almond or peanut butter

1 1/2 cups dried fruit, nuts, coconut, etc.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium sized bowl, cream margarine and coconut oil together. A hand mixer works well for this. Add brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and beat to combine. Spoon chia gel and vanilla extract into mixture and once again beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in flour, oats, flax and nut butter until well combined. Stir nuts, dried fruits, chocolate chips of whatever combination you desire into the dough. (I used 2/3 cup chopped almonds, 2/3 cup dried cranberries, and a handful of unsweetened coconut flakes.) 

Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measure, scoop dough out and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Using the palm of your hand, gently press each cookie into a 4-inch circle. 

Bake for 12 minutes or so, until the tops of the cookies are lightly browned. Cool on the pan for a minute or so. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. After cooled, wrap individual cookies in plastic wrap for optimum freshness. :-)

Yield: 11 cookies

Approx. 298 calories per cookie (This depends on the nut and fruit combos, too.)

Enjoy!

African Peanut Stew

It was the kind of day that merited a warm hearty stew: crisp and cool with the scent of autumn in the air. We spent the better part of the morning apple-picking as a family. I think my three-year old ate more than he picked, but that's to be expected! :-) We loaded bushels of apples into our car, turned on the heater, and headed home for some lentil soup. Later that afternoon, though, my daughter wanted to help me make something for dinner. She's actually been begging to make a really spicy salsa for her daddy, but we've put a delay on that project due to some jalapeño juice in the eye. But, I digress. She did a fantastic job carefully slicing and deseeding two jalapeño peppers for this fantastic stew.

The flavors are quasi African, and oh so delicious together. Especially when served over brown rice. There are many variations to this stew but this is the one I really enjoy. 

Ingredients

1 Tb. olive oil

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium white or yellow onion, diced

1/2 green or red bell pepper, diced

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped (see below for substitution ideas)

32 oz. vegetable or vegetarian chicken style broth

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1/3 cup coconut milk

Handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (opt.)

Instructions

Saute sweet potato, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno peppers in olive oil over medium high heat until vegetables begin to soften. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, cumin and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes and quinoa are completely cooked. Add peanut butter and carefully stir to incorporate. It should melt into the stew and begin to thicken slightly. Add coconut milk and cilantro and continue to cook for just a few minutes more. 

Serve and enjoy! This yields about 4 healthy servings. 

Substitution / Add-in Ideas:

My aunt Carol gave me a similar recipe that included diced zucchini. You would just add it at the beginning with the rest of the vegetables. 

She also uses prepared salsa instead of jalapenos and canned tomatoes. I've used a can of Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilies and eliminated the jalapenos, but it was really very spicy. 

BBQ Season ~ Vegan Style {Overload Alert!}

Oh me, oh my. It's been far too long! Have you been enjoying this summer holiday? It's been a bit cooler than I'd like, but weather can be very unpredictable. I was looking forward to cookouts with neighbors, picnics at the beach, and all the other joys that warm weather brings, but alas, it has been wet, cold (60's) and windy. I guess I'll just have to content myself with INDOOR outdoor fare. 

Earlier this month, I was invited to share some plant-based recipes for our local Living Healthy Supper Club. It was right after the 4th of July, and being rather in the mood, I chose to go with a BBQ themed dinner. Our menu was:

Appetizer ~ 

Garlicky Spinach Artichoke Dip with Toasted Pita Chips

Sides ~

Israeli Cous Cous Salad

Herbed Red Potato Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Roasted Brussels and Asparagus

Baked Mac and Cheese 

Main Course ~

BBQ "Chicken" Sliders with 

Coleslaw Condiment

Dessert ~

Very Berry Shortcake

Soy Whipped Topping

I thoroughly enjoy this food. Seriously. I want you to be able to enjoy it as well. I don't have photos of all of the recipes, but if you'll click on the links provided, you'll get a sneak peak of some of the dishes. 

Spinach Artichoke Dip

(adapted from Chef Chloe Coscarelli)

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

3 cloves garlic, minced  

a few pinches crushed red pepper (optional) 

2 cups chopped spinach 

1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu, drained 

½ cup nutritional yeast flakes 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 Tb. fresh basil, torn or coarsely chopped 

½ - 1 teaspoons sea salt 

1 Tb. Good Seasons Garlic Herb Dry Salad Dressing Mix

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained (can also use marinated or frozen) and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water chestnuts, drained and chopped 

Pita or tortilla chips and fresh crudites for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions until soft. Add garlic and red pepper and let cook a few more minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add spinach. Let cook, stirring gently, until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and add chopped artichokes and water chestnuts.  In a food processor, blend tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add artichokes and spinach mixture, and pulse about 15 times. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Let cool slightly, then serve with pita or tortilla chips and vegetables. Can also be served cold. 

Herbed Red Potato Salad 

(adapted from Taste of Home)

3 lbs. Red potatoes, washed well

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tb. fresh squeezed lemon juice (about one lemon)

2 Tb. fresh dill, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Tb. whole grain mustard (opt.)

1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1/3 of a large red onion, finely chopped

Instructions:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender but still firm and skins split slightly. Drain and set aside. 

In a small bowl whisk together oil, lemon juice, herbs, lemon peel, salt and whole grain mustard (if using). 

Dice slightly cooled potatoes and place in a medium bowl; add red onion. Drizzle dressing over potatoes and onion and toss to coat. This salad is best if served the next day to allow the flavors to deepen.

Israeli Cous Cous Salad

2 cups dry Israeli Cous Cous

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 English cucumber, peeled, quartered, and chopped

1 large red tomato, diced

2 Tb. diced or thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup, fresh basil, cut into ribbons (julienned)

Juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt

Instructions:

Pour water into medium sized pot, salt generously, and bring to a boil. Add cous cous and once again bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 8-10 minutes. (Check to make sure cous cous has not absorbed all liquid and is sticking.) Remove from heat, pour into a colander, and rinse with cold water. 

Peel, quarter and dice cucumber. Wash and dice tomato and onion. Wash and slice basil into ribbons. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk freshly squeezed lemon juice with 1/4 cup olive oil. 

In a large serving bowl, combine cooled cous cous, vegetables, and dressing. Stir well to break up any clumps of cous cous and incorporate all of the zesty, fresh dressing. Season to taste with salt. Serve!

Optional add-ins: 

Kalamata olives

Tofu feta (You’ll want to reduce the amount of dressing in the salad if using)

BBQ “Chicken”

4 cups Butler soy curls

1 Tb. chicken style seasoning

1 Tb. dehydrated onion

Olive oil

salt, to taste

2/3 cup prepared barbecue sauce of choice

Instructions:

Place dry soy curls in a medium bowl. Add chicken seasoning and dried onion to soy curls and stir to combine. Boil enough water to completely cover soy curls, and rehydrate for about 5 minutes. 

Heat about 1 Tb. olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain and squeeze excess water from soy curls and transfer to pan. Season with a little salt, to taste. Sauté curls for a minute or two until they begin to dry slightly and turn light golden brown. Add 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce and stir to incorporate. Turn down heat and continue to sauté, adding the last 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce when it looks a bit dry. 

Remove from heat, toast some burger buns, heap some BBQ Chicken on your bun, layer some fresh coleslaw on top and you’ve got a delicious main course for your vegetarian outdoor cookout. 

Summer Abundance: Rhubarb

Summer is one of my favorite seasons...at least early summer is. I'm not sure that early summer is considered a season, though. The breeze is warm, not stifling. Grass is rich and green. Growth in the garden is just beginning, and there's a wonderful smell in the air. 

We just happen to be the grateful beneficiaries of our friends summer (over) abundance. We haven't been able to plant our garden this year, but we've been blessed with cucumbers, tomatoes, kale, and rhubarb from other's gardens...no zucchini yet, but I'm sure it will come! {Insert smily face here}

I was experimenting with rhubarb combinations the other day, and while strawberry with rhubarb is still my favorite, apple and rhubarb pair nicely, too. The texture of the fruit, the sweetness of the apple balancing out the tartness of the rhubarb...it's a perfect match. 

I made a rhubarb betty....that wasn't a big hit. My next try was crisp. Mmmmm. We all agreed that it's a keeper. 

Ingredients:

3 cups rhubarb, washed well and sliced into chunks

1 cup apple (of choice), peeled and diced

1/2 cup strawberries, washed and sliced

3/4 cup sugar (or cane juice crystals)

1 Tb. flour

2 tsp. instant tapioca

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

pinch salt

Streusel Topping:

1 scant cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup margarine

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine prepared fruit with sugar, flour, instant tapioca, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

In another bowl, combine dry streusel ingredients, then add margarine. Using a fork (or your fingers), crumble and cut the margarine into the flour mixture until it resembles large peas. 

Pour fruit mixture into a lightly oiled or Pam-sprayed 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the fruit. Place in stove and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until topping is beautifully golden and fruit is tender. 

Juices will be bubbling in the baking dish, and you may want to have a cookie sheet under it...just in case! :-)

Serve warm with non-dairy vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, or enjoy it plain. 

Tortilla Soup

This is our family's favorite new soup. A few months ago, I was asked to present some vegan recipes for a Supper Club in our neighborhood. (I posted the "chicken" enchilada recipe from that presentation previously on the blog.) We absolutely love the tortilla soup at California Pizza Kitchen, and since the supper club theme was American Southwestern, I decided to try to recreate that delicious soup. There are lots of copy-cat recipes online, but this is one of the closest I've been able to find. I've modified a recipe from www.copycat-recipes.net.

As the soup bubbled on the stove, my daughter moaned and groaned, "You're killing me, Mom!" I was alarmed. "Why?" I asked. "That soup smells soooo good! And I'm hungry." Whew...if that was all... :-)

Ingredients:

3 Tb. light olive oil

6 corn tortillas, cut into squares

3 Tb. minced garlic

1/4 cup diced yellow onion

2 cups frozen yellow and white corn, divided

4 roma tomatoes, chopped

2/3 cup tomato paste

2 Tb. ground cumin

3 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vegan chicken seasoning (McKays)

1 tsp. chili powder

6 cups water

2 cans diced mild green chiles

blue tortilla chips (opt. garnish)

fresh cilantro (opt. garnish)

fresh avocado, diced (opt. garnish)

Instructions:

In a large pot, sauté corn tortillas in olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and continue to sauté, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook for perhaps a minute. Add 1 cup of corn and all other ingredients (except garnishes, of course) and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes. With a stick blender, blend soup until it's the consistency of a thick puree. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can process in a regular blender, but be careful to just pulse it a few times to break up the corn tortillas.

Return soup to heat and add the rest of the corn, plus the two cans of green chiles. Bring to a brief boil, then serve immediately with garnishes of choice.

This is a large amount of soup, but I promise you, it won't be around for long! :-)

{Not quite} Nutrigrain bars...

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but as a busy family always on the run, breakfast sometimes needs to be portable. Enter Nutrigrain bars: one of the quintessential grab-and-go breakfast foods. I've been wanting to make my own breakfast bar, modeled after the soft, chewy, fruity Kelloggs brand. As I searched online, I couldn't find very many recipes that were not crumb top. While those are delicious, they don't travel well! 

I can just imagine driving in the car, crumb topped breakfast bar in one hand, steering wheel in the other. As I begin to unwrap my breakfast bar, crumbs fall off onto my shirt and lap, jam oozes onto my hands. I reach behind me into the diaper bag to retrieve a wet wipe, still holding onto the bar and steering the car with my knees...More crumbs in my lap and jam on my pants. 

These are a much safer option. :-) And! They don't contain high-fructose corn syrup, which I'm very pleased about. 

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

6 Tb. Earth Balance Margarine

1/2 cup canned coconut milk (you can also use soured soy milk - see directions below)

1/4 cup chia gel

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves (or desired fruit jam: fig, blackberry, raspberry, cherry)

*Soured soy milk: 1 Tb. lemon juice mixed with 1 cup of soy milk. Stir and allow to thicken slightly. Use as needed. 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large cookie sheet with Pam and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (first seven listed). Add margarine and cut in until smallish pebbles form. In another small bowl, whisk wet ingredients together, then pour into dry ingredient mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms and all flour is incorporated. It should feel like biscuit dough. Turn out onto a floured surface, adding a bit more flour to dough to make it kneadable. 

With a rolling pin, form dough into a rectangle shape that is approximately 8 x 10"  and 1/4-1/2" thick.  Divide this into smaller squares--about 4 x 4. Spoon about a tablespoon of fruit preserves into the center of the square. Fold other side of dough over the jam and slightly press the seams to close. 

Transfer bars onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. 

Yield: 10 bars

Apple Spice Baked French Toast

This weekend has been a whirlwind of activity, from running errands all day Friday to spending Sunday with our church's Adventurer Club at the state-wide annual Fun Day. Last year before Fun Day, we made a quick stop at a fast food chain to grab breakfast on the fly -- I hadn't planned very well that morning ;-). Well, I've turned over a new leaf this year and wanted to make sure that my children weren't fueled by a package of deep-fried tater-tots and deep-fried french toast sticks. I whipped up this apple spice baked french toast based on a recipe for pumpkin streusel baked french toast by Two Peas and Their Pod. I've thoroughly enjoyed every recipe I've tried from their blog (veganized, of course!)

This french toast is more of a casserole and is wonderful if you are short on time. I make it the night before and either bake it that night to reheat in the morning for a super-fast meal or bake it in the morning while I am getting ready for the day. Either way, it's very tasty. 

You'll want to use a whole grain or whole wheat baguette or other crusty bread for this to turn out well. 

Ingredients:

1/2 of a long whole wheat baguette

6 Tb. chia gel or 3 Tb. flax gel

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup apple butter (made by cooking applesauce down until a thick spreadable consistency - like a thick puree)

1/4 cup brown or natural granulated sugar

1 Tb. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon or cardamom

pinch ground allspice

1/2 a Fuji or other apple of choice, peeled and diced

1/4 cup Craisins or dried tart cherries

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or a mix of white and whole wheat)

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon or cardamom

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (opt.)

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup margarine, cut into pieces

Instructions:

Spray a 2-qrt. glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Tear or cut baguette into large bite size pieces and arrange evenly in the pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine milk, chia or flax, apple butter, sugar, vanilla, spices and diced apple. Whisk to thoroughly incorporate. Pour evenly over bread pieces and press bread down a bit into the milk mixture. Sprinkle dried cranberries or cherries over the french toast.  Cover casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. {Usually allow overnight or several hours for the bread to absorb the liquid.}

In a small bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, oats, walnuts, salt and cinnamon or cardamom. Cut in margarine pieces with your fingers or a fork until the mixture looks like small peas. Pour streusel into a plastic baggy and store in fridge.

When ready to bake the french toast, preheat oven to 365 F. Remove casserole and streusel from refrigerator. Spread crumb topping evenly over french toast and bake for 55-60 minutes until casserole is set and crunchy golden brown on top. 

Serve with vegetarian sausage or tofu scramble for a amazing breakfast. 

Yield: 6 large pieces

Kale Salad with Toasted Pepitas

Yet another delicious variation on a kale theme. Kale is one of the powerhouses of nutrition; a dark, green, fiber-rich bunch of health. I am somewhat new to the juicing/green smoothie scene, and kale is a staple in most green juices and smoothies for its nutrient dense properties. See my previous post on White Bean Kale Soup {click here} for more detailed information on what kale provides. 

My best friend from high school sent me a recipe for one of her new favorite addictions, Massaged Kale Salad from Aarti Sequeira of the Food Network. The original salad contains diced mango and toasted pepitas with a lemon-honey vinaigrette. I didn't have mango, so substituted the next best thing...sweet bell peppers. I know, I know... no where near mango. 

You really have to massage the kale to work the fibrousness (is that a word?) out. It might seem like a little work, but it's really so much better that way. 

Ingredients:

1/2 large bunch kale, washed and deveined

1/2 fresh lemon

8 black olives, sliced

1/3 cup diced red and yellow sweet peppers

2 handfuls toasted pepitas (try sunflower seeds or toasted pine nuts, too!)

Salt, to taste

Dressing:

1/2 fresh lemon, squeezed

2 tsp. honey

pepper (opt.)

scant 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions:

Roll kale leaves into small bundles and thinly slice into ribbons (this is called chiffonade). Place into a large bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the greens, drizzle a small amount of olive oil over, and sprinkle with salt. With your hands, massage kale for perhaps one minute, until the fibers have broken down and greens are slightly wilted. 

Add black olives, sweet peppers and pepitas (or other seeds) to green mixture and stir to combine. 

In a small bowl, combine juice from the other half of the lemon, 2 tsp. honey, and black pepper (opt.) and whisk. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, until a emulsion forms. Pour dressing over kale greens and toss to mix well. 

Taste salad and adjust for seasonings.

Yield: 2 1-cup servings, or 4 1/2-cup servings

100 calories per 1/2 cup (slightly less if you don't use all the dressing.)

Anytime Pancakes {Apple Cinnamon Cranberry}

Sunday mornings are lazy. It's a time when my children can sleep in, I can get caught up on my laundry mountain, and make something a little more special for breakfast than the typical cold cereal. Lately I've been experimenting with do-it-ahead recipes such as baked oatmeal and over-night french toast that I just have to heat up in the morning and it's ready to go. One time-saving plus about this recipe is that it can be made into a mix that's super quick to throw together. Breakfast can be on the table in no time!

My good friends, Stephanie and Sarah (www.givethemsomethingbetter.com) published the original recipe for these pancakes in their cookbook Give Them Something Better, and they've given me permission to post it with my adaptations. 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 Tb. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

scant 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/3 cup water

2/3 cup soy, almond, or coconut milk

1/4 cup oil

2 Tb. brown sugar

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
Dried Cranberries (opt.)

Instructions:

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine wet ingredients (including grated apple and brown sugar). Stir together wet and dry ingredients to form a batter. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat (you can spray the pan with cooking spray or drizzle a small amount of oil on the pan, too). Using a ladle or 1/3 cup measurement, pour batter onto skillet, sprinkle a few dried cranberries decoratively over the surface, and cook until the pancakes are golden brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes. 

Yield: Varies depending on desired size of pancake! :0) I made 9-10 medium sized pancakes. 

If you have any leftovers, pop them in a ziploc bag and refrigerate them. When you are ready to use, simply place 1-2 on a plate and microwave them for about 20 seconds on each side. Optional Toppings: margarine, peanut butter, pure maple syrup, applesauce, thickened fruit, etc... The possibilities are endless. 

Enjoy this hearty breakfast.