Snacks Archives - Page 3 of 4

All-Natural, Vegan Dog Treats

February 19, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Sorry, these may not look appetizing to you, but your dog will love them! Have you ever looked at the ingredients in some commercial dog treats? They are packed full of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and animal products. They’re pricey, too. Save your money (and your dog’s health) by making your own—they’re so simple. Our dog, Moe (a 90-lb lap dog) LOVES peanut butter and as much fun as it can be to watch him try to lick it off the roof of his mouth, biscuit treats are a much simpler (and less messy) alternative. These would be cute cut into the shape of dog biscuits, but since we usually only give him small treats at a time, making these bit-sized ones were ideal. The recipe is from All Natural Dog Treat, offering lots of different recipes, including a grain-free peanut butter recipe. These treats will keep at room temperature for 2-3 weeks, or 6 weeks in the refrigerator. They are also freeze-able and . . . Moe-Approved.

Sorry about the duck, folks. But Moe knows we don’t eat meat and that his birthday present—turned 4 earlier this month—is just for pretend. 🙂

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C whole wheat flour
1-1/2 C white flour
1/2 C organic, all-natural peanut butter
1 C water
2 Tbs oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Using a mixer, combine the water, oil and peanut butter; cream until mixed well. Add the flours one cup at a time. You will have a crumbly mixture. This is where Moe poked his head into the kitchen, fully aware that I was making something with his most favorite and beloved ingredient. He stuck by my side in the kitchen until The Husband took him for a walk.

Press together tightly to form a hard ball.

I then divided the dough in half so that it’s easier to work with. Just work a little quickly as the other half of the dough will start to get a bit drier. Roll out to a 1/4″ thickness and cut into 3-4″ shapes. I used a pizza cutter to make little squares. Obviously, feel free to make any size or shape that your pup’s little heart desires.

This is just half the dough—I ended up with twice this much. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Hopefully, the peanut butter smell in the house isn’t torturing Moe, but at least he gets these all-natural treats to make up for it!

My First Guest Blogger! Vegan, Wheat-free, and Nearly Sugar-free Blueberry Muffins

February 8, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I’m very excited to introduce you to my first guest blogger, Kerrie Flanagan, director of The Northern Colorado Writers and freelance writer-extraordinaire. Kerrie has been a great sport when testing out some of my vegan creations. Some have been great, others not so much. She’ll even manage to smile when choking down one of the not-so-much ones. Thanks for being here, Kerrie!

Kerrie and I

I am thrilled to be the guest blogger today for my good friend and roof buddy (long, but fun story) April and take a break from working on my writers conference. When it comes to food, April and I agree on a few things; we both like to cook, we both want to provide healthy meals for our family and we both like to experiment in the kitchen. But when it comes to what we eat, we are on different sides of the fence. I am not a Vegan. I do eat meat (but I buy it from a local rancher and it is all free-range, grass-fed beef) and dairy. But I have the utmost respect for April and other Vegans. I love sampling her amazing food and trying some her recipes on my family.

So why am I here on the Epicurean Vegan? (besides the obvious, that I want to help my friend) it is because of my teenage daughter. Her acupuncturist wanted her to go on an elimination diet. So for 6 weeks, Delaney was to avoid wheat, dairy products and refined sugar. This was not an easy task, but we are on week 6 and she is doing great. One of the biggest things she missed was baked goods. The dairy part was no problem, the wheat; a little more of a challenge, but the sugar free part; nearly impossible. I am happy to say though, I found a recipe for muffins with oat flour and made a few adjustments (with April’s help) to substitute the dairy products. Delaney gave them a thumbs up.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup oat flour

1 cup rolled oats

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3 Tbs honey (or 1/2 cup sugar if you want them sweeter)

2 tsp lemon zest (or 1/2 tsp. lemon juice)

1 tsp egg replacer + 2 Tbl water (whisk together)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup Almond milk

1 cup blueberries (thawed frozen, or fresh)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine everything except the blueberries in a large mixing bowl and mix with a whisk. Don’t use a mixer, as it will chop up the rolled oats.

Cover the bowl and set it aside for 10 minutes to allow the batter to thicken. Once complete, fold in the blueberries with a spoon. Grease a muffin pan with baking spray or use paper baking cups and fill 2/3 full with batter.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.
*These were a little crumbly straight out of the oven. Once they cooled they were fine. You might want to try increasing egg replacer a little bit.

Cheddar and Rosemary Crackers

November 22, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Vegan MoFo, Day 22

Monet, at Anecdotes and Apples Cores, made some cheddar and rosemary biscuits that had me salivating! They also reminded me of an old recipe for crackers that I made a million years ago. I will however, try her recipe (and veganize it), but for now, enjoy some amazing crackers!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C vegan cheddar, shredded
3-ox Tofutti cream cheese
1/2 C Earth Balance margarine
1 tsp sweet red chili sauce
1-3/4 C flour
2 Tbs sesame seeds
4 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325. In a food processor (with the dough blade) combine the cheeses. Add the butter.

Add the chili sauce, then flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Once combined, add sesame seeds and rosemary.

Divide dough in half and roll out. Now, you can decide how big you want to roll them out. I wanted to make tiny nibblers, but you’re welcome to make larger crackers. Once you made that big decision, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. I stuck mine in the freezer for about 20-25 minutes, but if you have extra time, go ahead and just refrigerate them. Slice them as thick or as thin as you want. I find that somewhere between 1/8″ and 1/4″ is best.

Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a smidge of salt, if desired.

Bake for about 10 minutes—just don’t let them get too browned. The bottoms will a little, but taken them out before the edges brown. Enjoy! (Thanks for the inspiration, Monet)!

Cashew Cheese Nachos

November 17, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Vegan MoFo, Day 17

The Sixth Grader loves nachos and loves cashew cheese, so this is an ideal after-school snack for him. I still had some cashew cheese in the freezer, so I left it in the zip lock and placed it in some warm water for about 10 minutes. It’s best if it’s still a little frozen for grating it. I recommend using the microwave—at first I used the oven on a low broiler, but the chips were browning before the cheese was melting. Other ingredients to try: tomatoes, salsa, or refries.

INGREDIENTS:
Tortilla chips
Hard cashew cheese, shredded
Green onion, sliced
Black olives, sliced
Avocado, diced
Tofutti sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
I like to have a layer of chips, some cheese, then another layer of chips and the rest of the cheese. Sprinkle on the green onions and olives. Zap in the microwave for about a minute, then add the avocados and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Buttered Party Mix

November 16, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Vegan MoFo, Day 16

So easy! And a great way to grab some protein. You can sub in pecans if you’d like—I’m just not a big fan. These are for an artist reception at the Northern Colorado Writers Association that is tonight. I’m also bringing my favorite hummus. The artist happens to be my mother-in-law, watercolorist-extraordinaire.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbs Earth Balance margarine, melted
1 Tbs garlic salt
1/2 tsp cayenne, or more for taste
1 C raw, unsalted cashews
1 C raw, unsalted walnuts
1 C raw, unsalted almonds
1/2 C sunflower seeds

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300 and line a baking sheet with foil. In a medium bowl, combine the nuts, garlic salt and cayenne. Add the margarine and thoroughly combine. Layer onto the lined baking sheet and bake for about a half an hour. Stir and flip over the nuts. I know, that’s not easy, but you’ll be able to tell which side is which since the cooked side will be dry-looking. Bake another 20-30 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to an air tight container if not eating right away. Enjoy!

Tofu Fries

June 10, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These are inspired by Home on the Range and I just had to try them. You can use any kind of seasoning you choose and Dale, of Home on the Range, lists several different spices you could use. These were super crispy on the outside and chewy, soft on the inside. I served these with some paninis and it made a great meal.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg 14 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/4 C cornmeal
1/4 C brown rice flour
2 Tbs Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp salt (optional)
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425. Cover a baking sheet with foil and brush with oil. Slice tofu into fries and in a ziplock bag, combine flour, cornmeal and seasoning. Add tofu slices (about 5 at a time) to the bag and dredge with the mixture. Place slices on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. These are great with some vegan ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Balsamic Strawberries

May 28, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Wow, talk about a smorgasbord of flavors! I was very intrigued when I saw the recipe—balsamic vinegar, sugar and pepper, so I had to try it. These are delicious by themselves, but spooned over some soy vanilla ice cream is absolutely to die for!! Great as a quick summertime dessert.

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz fresh strawberries, halved or quartered lengthwise
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Place strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with sugar. Stir gently with a rubber spatula to combine. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, but not more than 4 hours. Just before serving, grind pepper over berries. Enjoy!

Recipe source: The Vegan Table

Rosemary Roasted Almonds

April 2, 2010 by epicureanvegan

My neighbor brought these over the other night and I loved them! There are so many reasons to eat almonds: vitamin E, protein, zinc, iron, and monounsaturated fats. They make the ideal snack because just a handful will satisfy your hunger in between meals. The recipe calls for 2 cups of almonds, but I had about 2-1/2 cups, so I added the extra–they came out perfect! Eat ’em while they’re warm, too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp chile powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Dash of ground red pepper
1 (10-ounce) bag whole almonds (about 2 cups)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Arrange nut mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool to room temperature.

Recipe source: Cooking Light

Peanut Butter Hummus

February 17, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I think this is a great hummus variety, especially for kids who aren’t crazy about regular hummus. Spread this on a tortilla with sprouts and veggies and it’ll make a healthy lunch. It’s also great on apples or celery.

INGREDIENTS:
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans
1/3 C warm water
4 Tbs peanut butter
2 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs lemon or lime juice (I used lemon)
1 clove garlic
I added 1/2 tsp of cumin

DIRECTIONS:
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!

Recipe source: About.com

Crispy Kale Leaves

February 15, 2010 by epicureanvegan

“They’re weird, but I can’t stop eating them.” This is what my husband said. It’s so true–they’re like paper thin potato chips! They kinda just melt in your mouth but certainly have a crunch–and so good! And did you know…kale is considered an aphrodisiac? Just so you know! 😉 This recipe comes from Vegetarian Times.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb kale, rinsed and patted dry
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray (I used foil). Tear kale into 3″ pieces, removing tough stems. Transfer leaves to a bowl. Toss kale leaves with the oil, until well coated.

Spread on a baking sheet and bake 15 mins. (I did 10). Turn kale with tongs and bake another 10-15 mins (I did 7 more mins) or until edges are browned and leaves are crispy. Sprinkle with salt. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!