Healthy Eating for Discriminating Palates
Now this is pizza you have eat with a fork and a knife. These really are a no-brainer to make, but I’ll post them because sometimes the easiest and quickest meals can be the hardest to come up with. I didn’t feel like taking the time to make dough, let it rise, knead it . . . so using French bread is a way around that. Just add your favorite toppings . . .
. . . and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
I told you I’d find a way to use the pesto—or at least some of it. This soup, from Crash Test Vegetarian has become a mainstay around here. I’ve made small changes during the half a dozen times I’ve made it and I have to say, adding the pesto is probably my favorite variation. It reminds me of the Pesto-Potato Bread that is so delicious. Served with bread or croutons, this is a fabulous fall dinner.
INGREDIENTS:
4-5 C potatoes, peeled and diced
2 C celery, sliced
1 C onion, diced
4 tsp Better than Bouillon vegetable base
4 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
6 Tbs flour
2 C almond milk
2 Tbs basil pesto
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegan cheddar shreds, optional
DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot, whisk together the bouillon base with 6 cups of water. Add the celery and onions and bring to a boil. Stir in the potatoes and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes become tender. You should have just enough water to cover the potatoes and veggies, so if it’s too watery, you’ll want to drain some of the liquid. In a medium saucepan, melt the Earth Balance, slowly whisk in the flour; blend well. You’ll end up with a paste. Blend in the pesto. Little by little, add the almond milk and whisk thoroughly. Cook over medium/high heat and stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour into the soup and bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes until soup is thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
So there are moments in history where you want to slap your forehead and say, “Seriously?” The OJ Simpson acquittal. . . Lady GagGag’s meat dress . . . the recent attacks on Sesame Street . . . Oh, and the terrible call that cost cost the Green Bay Packers the game against the Seattle Seahawks a couple of weeks ago . . .(that’s for you, Jessie)! I had a moment of forehead-slapping-followed-by-a-REALLY? when I forgot a key ingredient in this meal. Pesto. See . . . I even made it:
But I made it earlier in the day and forgot to use it. Wheresma pesto? In the fridge. For those of you unfamiliar with “wheresma,” let me give you a brief history. My dear and wonderful husband apparently earned the nickname, “Wheresma” because he often asked, “Where’s my (this)?” “Where’s my (that)? Enduring, right? No. Wheresma makes an appearance every once in while . . .
Anyhoo . . . I have to admit, the lasagna just wasn’t the same without the pesto. I highly recommend you don’t forget this ingredient. It was still tasty and leftover-worthy, but it didn’t have the flavor I was hoping for, so don’t forget the pesto!
INGREDIENTS:
Ricotta:
1 12-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 C vegan mozzarella
Pesto:
4 C basil leaves
1 C Italian leaf parsley
1 C pine nuts
4 cloves garlic cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 C lemon juice
2/3 C olive oil
6 Tbs vegan Parmesan cheese
White sauce:
3 Tbs Earth Balance
1/4 C flour
2 C almond milk
1/2 C white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1/3 C nutritional yeast
The rest:
12 lasagna noodles
5 C kale, chopped
2 C mushrooms, sliced
1 C onion, diced
olive oil
Vegan mozzarella, optional
DIRECTIONS:
Save yourself a headache by making the ricotta and pesto a day ahead, or at least earlier in the day. (Just don’t forget about them). For the ricotta, combine everything but the vegan mozzarella in the food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese. To make the pesto, combine everything but the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Blend until smooth. Add the nuts and Parm and blend well.
I like using traditional lasagna noodles, as opposed to the no-boil variety. The trick is to not boil them too long. They’ll cook the rest of the way later on in the oven. I also made a small batch (8″x8″) pan, which meant cutting 2-3″ off the noodles in order to fit the pan. I ended up with 4 layers, but feel free to make 3 layers in a 9×13″ pan. So . . .to begin, start boiling the noodles. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook 5-7 minutes, or until the onions get tender. Add the mushrooms and kale and cook a few more minutes, until the mushrooms soften and the kale wilts.
To make the sauce, melt the Earth Balance. Slowly whisk the flour, a little at a time until you reach a thick paste.
Whisk in the milk a little bit at a time until there aren’t any clumps left. Stir with a whisk over medium-high heat until thickened, about 7 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Preheat the oven to 350. Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water. Pour about half of the sauce mixture on the bottom of an 8×8″ baking dish. Lay 3 lasagna noodles (you’ll need to cut the noodles to fit) on the bottom of the pan. Spread on about 2 Tbs of ricotta on each noodle, then a layer of the pesto. Top with a thin layer of the mushroom/kale mixture.
Repeat layers, ending with the final three lasagna noodles. Pour the rest of the sauce on top. Sprinkle with some vegan mozzarella if you’d like.
Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Enjoy!
I know, stuffed peppers again?! But they’re so easy to change up and try new ingredients combinations. Like most stuffed peppers, these are easy to make, but allow some extra time, especially using barley as it takes 45 minutes to cook.
INGREDIENTS:
3 bell peppers, cut in half and seeds and stems removed
1 C pearl barley
2-1/2 C vegetable broth (I recommend Better than Bouillon vegetable base)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 large onion, diced
1-1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C pepitas
2 Tbs fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 to 1 tsp shallot salt
Black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs white wine
3 Tbs Earth Balance margarine, divided
Parmezano Sprinkles, optional
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium sauce pan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the barley, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the onions and cook until tender and slightly browned. Add the pepitas, rosemary, shallot salt, and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes over medium to low heat.
Once the barley is cooked, add it to the skillet, along with the mushrooms, and stir well to combine. Add the white wine and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
Stuff the peppers with the filling and press down, adding as much as possible to each one. Place them into a large baking dish. Add a cup of water to the dish, cover with foil, and bake for about 30 minutes. Once baked, top each pepper with a half a tablespoon of Earth Balance, replace the foil, and let sit for 5 minutes. Top with the Parmezano Sprinkles, and enjoy!
Like many, I’ve evolved over time to becoming a “strict” vegan. I got rid of dairy in 2007, gave up meat in 2009, have since stop buying and wearing leather and fur (although I never wore fur to begin with) and I’ve been getting rid of all cosmetics and other products that test on animals. Thankfully, Leaping Bunny makes it easy to find cruelty-free products. By signing up (for free!) and taking the leap to be cruelty-free, Leaping Bunny will send you this Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide that lists A-Z, companies that “do not test finished products, ingredients, or formulations on animals.”
It is estimated that up to 100 million animals are tested on annually. Some would argue that many medical breakthroughs of the 20th Century have been established because of animal testing, but I see no reason why lipsticks, eye shadows, and other cosmetic and toiletries need to be tested on animals, which include, but are not limited to primates, dogs, rabbits, cats, and mice. To learn more, I strongly urge you read these 11 Facts about Animal Testing at DoSomething.org. And you can also rely on PETA to show you the horrors of animal testing too. I may not be able to stop animal testing, but I can certainly do something about it at home. I’ll be the first to admit, it can be hard to give up products that you’ve come to love. We all get addicted to certain lotions, makeups, soaps, etc., but it’s not the end of the world. In fact, you may just find a new and cruelty-free favorite. I don’t expect my readers (vegan and non-vegan) to eliminate these animal products from their homes, but I hope to at least make you think about these products you use and what the animals had to suffer through to get it in your hands. (I know, I’m laying on the guilt here…)
If you want to know what companies still test on animals, check out this list. Print it off and start throwing stuff away (or donate it). PETA also is a great resource for more information. Click HERE.
I discovered these crackers a few months ago, and I’ve been buying them ever since. They’re made by Edward & Sons and come in a variety of flavors including vegetable, toasted onion, and black sesame. I’ve only been able to find the vegetable and toasted onion ones at the store, but you can order the other varieties HERE. Of the two, the vegetable flavored one is my favorite. These are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and 96% organic. Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic White Rice Flour, Organic Expeller-Pressed Sunflower Oil, Carrots, Garlic, Onions, Red Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Green Bell Peppers. Dehydrated vegetable powders. It ain’t easy finding a tasty vegan and gluten-free cracker, but it looks like Ed and his sons have done an excellent job!
They’re ideal with Daiya cheese!
It’s that time a year again…where Starbucks taunts us vegas with their Pumpkin Spice Latte. Word has gotten around by now to most vegans, that the PSL is not vegan. If you didn’t know that, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you. Even ordering it with soy milk, it contains condensed nonfat milk. Boo! Hiss!
In a quest to make my own at home, I came across this recipe. I haven’t made it yet, but I’m going to try to this week.
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I have been wanting to make this soup for some time, ever since we first had some at The Black Cat in Boulder. My friend Jessie, gave me this recipe. I tweaked it a little, and in fact, I may tweak it a bit more next time I make it by using canned coconut milk instead of coconut meat or shreds. Either way, this is a fantastic soup for any carrot lover. It can be served warm or cold—both ways are delicious. We enjoyed this with the tasty tomato tarts.
INGREDIENTS:
3 C carrot juice (I juiced 12 large carrots)
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
3 Tbs freshly grated gingerroot
1/2 C unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut
2 dashes of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C almond milk
Optional: cayenne pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth (you may have tiny specks of coconut). If you’d like it warm, transfer to a large sauce or soup pot and heat. Enjoy!
Yields: 32-oz
For the second year in a row, I catered Wine & Words, a fundraising event for the Northern Colorado Writers. I love this event and I definitely love showing people that vegan food is delicious! You’ve seen the gluten-free & vegan cupcakes and I’m excited to show you what else I made (and about 95% organic, too!)
I cooked 2 cups of quinoa in 2-1/2 cups of vegetable broth. I let it cool in the fridge for a day, then added 1 chopped up cucumber, two chopped tomatoes, a chopped red onion, 1 cup of chopped parsley, and a cup of toasted pinenuts. In a small bowl, I combined 3 Tbs of ume plum vinegar with 2 Tbs of olive oil, 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of black pepper, then mixed it into the salad. Easy!
These were gone in minutes! I cooked up a diced green pepper with a small chopped onion and added four ground up Field Roast sausages, Italian flavor. I could make the stuffing a day ahead, so that helped out. I then used about 60 mushrooms and lightly sauteed them in Earth Balance and garlic. Don’t cook too much, just enough to soften them up. Just before the event, I heated up the stuffing in a pan on the stove and stuffed the mushrooms.
I LOVE this bread for these finger sandwiches. The recipe makes two loaves, so I made two different kinds of sandwiches. I did, however, use a seasoned cream cheese (Tofutti mixed with Good Seasoning dressing mix) on both. On one, I had cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh basil. On the other, I used roasted red peppers and avocados.
I figured this was a great way to eat fruit! I dipped the tops of ice cream cones in melted chocolate, then poured sprinkles around the top. Initially, I was going to fill them with fruit to serve, but it made more sense to let guests do it. That way, they can be picky about what fruit they want, and then the fruit wouldn’t make the cones soggy. I also recommend spooning a bit of chocolate into the bottom of the cone for added chocolate goodness!
I also made a huge batch (not enough!) of Avocado Bruschetta and served them with tortilla scoops and gluten-free crackers. The Spinach Dip was also a hit and I served it with cut up peppers, cucumbers, and celery. Olives and a green salad rounded it out and made for a fabulous event!
Last weekend, for the second year in a row, I catered Wine and Words, a fundraising event for the Northern Colorado Writers. (Hence, the Scrabble-like tile cookies on top). I wanted to be able to provide not only vegan food, but lots of gluten-free options as well. I think these cupcakes came out pretty damn good. Granted, they’ve got plenty of sugar, but vegan and gluten-free is certainly on the right track (especially since they have flax in them)! The original recipe is from Living Without magazine, but I altered several ingredients and steps. The baking mix is a great base for GF muffins, cupcakes, and cakes. One batch makes 24 cupcakes. I made two batches: one vanilla, one chocolate.
INGREDIENTS:
Flour mixture: (makes 7.5 cups)
3-3/4 C chickpea a.k.a garbanzo flour
2-1/4 C potato starch
1-1/2 C tapioca flour
The cupcakes:
6 Tbs water
2 Tbs flax meal
1 C almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3-1/2 C of the making mix (use 3 cups for the chocolate ones)
1 Tbs + 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1-1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C vegetable shortening
2 tsp vanilla (use almond extract for the chocolate ones)
Also, add 1/2 C baking cocoa to the 3 cups of making mix if making chocolate ones
Sugar cookie tile:
7/8 C rice flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 C vegan margarine
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
zest from one lemon
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, whisk together the three flours for the baking mix. Store in an airtight container. Preheat the oven to 350 and line two 12-cup muffin tins. In a small bowl, combine the almond milk and cider vinegar and set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together the water and flax meal; set aside.
In large bowl, combine 3-1/2 cups of the baking mix (again, use 3 cups of flour mix + 1/2 C cocoa for chocolate ones) with the baking powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a mixer, beat the shortening and sugar together until well combined and fluffy.
Add the flax mixture and vanilla (again, use almond extract for chocolate cupcakes). Next, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk/cider mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
You will have a very thick, but moist batter. When I fill muffin cups, I tend to hold them in my hand to fill them up—it makes for a cleaner process with less chance of dropping globs of batter everywhere. This batter is pretty thick though, so you’ll have more control with these. Fill the 24 muffin cups evenly; about a 1/4 C in each.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
To make the sugar cookies, combine the sugar and vegan margarine. Add the vanilla and combine well. In a separate bowl, combine the rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and lemon zest. Shape into a ball and chill for at least 2 hours. Using a light rolling pin (not a marble one if you can help it), roll out about half of the dough.
I used a pizza cutter for the “tiles.”
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
I used a gel frosting for the lettering . . .
I didn’t have the patience to put the number in the corner like an actual Scrabble tile, but you get the idea…
I made some butter frosting for the cupcakes and topped with the letter or some sliced strawberries.
Enjoy!
