Me in Melange

Savor the Sweet Potato: Best New Recipe!

Oh people. Have I got a gift for you! If you are looking for a super-squeaky-clean, healthy, low-cal, heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory, DELICIOUS alternative to bread, chips, tortillas...I've got you!

Introducing: the Sweet Potato Flat Bread. (cue heraldic trumpets)

I stumbled across this recipe on facebook, and could not believe that three ingredients could create what I saw in the picture, so I tried it. It works. And it works in so many ways! Roll these babies out thin and you've got a crepe. So delicious with bananas and syrup, or a vegan nutella - or anything you can throw at it basically. Roll it out slightly thicker and you've got a tortilla. The yummiest wrap in the world! Fill it with anything from beans and avocados to salsa and tofu scramble, to cashew pimento cream cheese to....again, anything! Roll it out a little thicker and you've got bread. Delicious for dunking in this amazing soup I'm also going to show you, or honestly I like them plain! 

I've been making these babies for three days straight. They are the kind of thing that is easy to make in a trice, and that tastes good any time of day! And of course sweet potatoes are uber-good for you! they are chock-full of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). They are also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper,pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Additionally, they are a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus. I mean come on! Can bread say that? Chips? Crepes? Main non!  

So 3 cheers for the amazing sweet potato!!! (original recipe here.)

It really is the little things in life!!!   

 

 Sweet Potato Flat Bread

2 c baked sweet potato, mashed

2 c spelt flour

1 tsp salt

directions: simply mix sweet potato and spelt flour and salt until a dough is formed, pinch off a piece of dough and roll it out to desired thickness, then lightly fry in a skillet until slightly browned. That's it! That's all! And it takes less time to cook than a pancake! :) 

Now, about that delicious soup I mentioned: 

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

5 Red Bell Peppers

1 onion

5 cloves garlic

3-4 c broth (I love Imagine's "No-Chicken Broth", even better than most veggie broths!)

1/4 c soy creamer (plain)

fresh basil

Directions: Cut up onion in to large chunks, halve the red bell peppers, and peel garlic. Put on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan and lightly drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 410 degrees for approximately 40 minutes - checking to turn or possibly to remove garlic if it gets too browned - until bell peppers are soft. Put peppers in a paper bag for 15 minutes until they cool down just a bit, then peel off the skins. Put roasted vegetables into a soup pot with broth and heat. Use an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender to puree. Add 1/4 soy creamer and mix. Heat through and serve with fresh basil garnish. 

Bonne appetit and good health mes amis!!! xoxox Diane 

The Best Tastes of Summer: Guilt-Free Ravioli!

Hey friends! I just discovered a recipe that impressed me SO much, for so many reasons - that I had to share!

First let me ask you a ridiculous question: do you like ravioli?

Of course you do! It's almost like pizza, right? Something you could eat every day, but probably don't because it's loaded with unhealthy things and tons of calories, right?

Well guess what?! NOW YOU CAN HAVE RAVIOLI EVERY DAY! Or whenever and however often you want!!! Because this recipe has absolutely nothing in it that isn't clean - well, ok, maybe the faux cheese has some oil in it, and I do use olive oil to lightly cook the spinach and garlic. But that is the worst of it - a little oil. NO dairy, NO meat, and hardly any calories - plus it tastes as good as the real thing? No joke!

Here are the ingredients - you'll see what I mean! All that's in this baby is:

ZUCCHINI - our star player. These thin strips of zukes, when baked in tomato-y, garlic-y juices become almost exactly like noodles. TOFU, mashed - like ricotta. SPINACH AND GARLIC - superfoods, both. TOMATO SAUCE - I like chunky organic stuff from a jar, but you can make your own if you want it extra clean! DAIYA SHREDDED "CHEESE" - this stuff is so tasty and melts like a dream! I also like to include some BLACK OLIVES for some more deliciously salty texture. 

That's it! These raviolis are not only straight from the gods taste-wise, this dish is LOW-CAL, PLANET-FRIENDLY, and actually ADDS NUTRIENTS to your body! As we head into this week, on a Monday - let's be happy about this good news. Plus, now we know what's for dinner every night this week. PLUS - you could use these same noodles to make GUILT FREE LASAGNA!!! It's honestly a dream come true. :) Check the website and video here! (although their version is not vegan)

Below is a short video on how to wrap the zuke raviolis up! So easy! xoxo 

Happy week to all! xoxoxo Diane 

INGREDIENTS FOR PLANT-BASED ZUCCHINI RAVIOLIS

• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

• 4 cups baby spinach

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 container firm tofu, mashed

• 4 medium zucchini

• 1/2 cup shredded Daiya cheese of choice, plus more for garnish

• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

• black olives - optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel zucchini into strips.

3. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and then add the spinach. Cook until wilted.

4. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute, or until fragrant.

5. Add the spinach-garlic mixture to the tofu, and stir to combine.

6. Take two equal slices of zucchini and place one across the other to create a cross.

7. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the tofu-spinach mixture to the center of the cross.

8. Take one side of the bottom strip and fold over center. Take the other side of the bottom strip and fold over the other piece covering the center.

9. Take one side of the top piece and fold over the center, and then fold the other side of the top piece and fold it over the other side covering the center, tucking in, if possible.

10. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

11. Place the zucchini ravioli, seam side down, in a casserole dish and top with sauce and daiya cheese and olives, if using.

12. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

13. Remove from oven and serve.

She needs me. Period.

I’ll admit, I feel a little guilty about writing this post since Lucia told me at on point, “don’t tell anyone.” But I’m convincing myself that when you do a post like this it’s not really like telling anyONE person…I mean, technically it’s a bunch of people, but you don’t know who so therefore my logic is, it doesn’t count. It’s highly unlikely she’ll read it herself since she recently proclaimed reading was “lame” (to which I made her promise not to reveal that sentiment in public--embarrassing and of course I attribute it to some kind of parenting deficiency).  Plus, this story is too good not to share (but be warned, it's in the category of TMI for sure).

This weekend, my second daughter joined the “womanhood” club. Yep, hello Aunt Flow. I found out because she called me while I was out of town and said, “uhhhh, mommy? I think I maybe got my period.” My response, of course, “Ok, tell me what happened?” I was trying to vet the deductive reasoning that got her all the way to, “ I THINK I got my period.” Her response was to say that she felt something, "down there by her vagina," and went to the bathroom and there was blood. Uuuuuhhhhh, yep, sounds like a period to me. I mean, I’ve only had mine for maybe 32 years now, but I’m going to go with YES, that definitely sounds like a good guess.

So that was kind of cool. I felt the rush of emotion. The same the rush I felt with Ava, but this time I didn’t feel the need to call all the grandmother’s and aunts. I toned it down a bit this go around and I’m sure everyone was glad. (clearly my need to share is still festering though….hence this post)

I get home, and Lucia informs me at 9:45 p.m. last night that there is “NO WAY I can use a pad, I feel like I have a diaper on and it’s gross, I need a tampon.” I totally get this, however, I’m also totally tired so I tell her we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to head to the store because my super sized tampons are probably going to be a tad too big. She wasn’t actually thwarted by the size of them because she really wanted a tampon, but I said no, tampon emergency will have to wait.   I think a super plus tampon is definitely out of her league...best to start out slow.

So today, while everyone else was off roller-skating, we went to the drug store. Now I have to first explain that Lucia has acted stone cold “cool” about this whole period thing. Like, she’s “got this” and why am I asking so many questions I mean, my questions were pretty basic. Do you want me to show you how to use the tampon?  Are you nervous?  Do you have cramps?  Are you excited? She looked at me like my head was on backward and I was super uncool. She informed me AVA had already shown her everything and she was “all good”. Insert eyeball roll here. My motherly role, totally usurped. Very annoying and disappointing at the same time.

So I buy the toothpick-sized tampons, we go home. Lucia promptly goes into the bathroom and after maybe 5-7 minutes with the door still closed and all quiet, I knock and ask her if she’s ok. Her response was ‘Uhhhh, it’s not working, I need help.” Praise the lord. NOW I get to step in, be the period educator, anatomy 101 instructor, and mommy savior all at once. It was awesome. I’ve come a long way since getting my diaphragm stuck when I was in my mid-20’s…I’m practically professional now. I had this. There was serious investment in practice tampons---I’d say $10 or so of mechanical testing went on before I even went into the bathroom. Finally, we got it down with some really in-depth explanations. She mastered that intimidating plastic encased  cotton wad.  All that being said, Lucia concluded the tampons felt weird, and decided a pad wasn’t bad after all, and then we discussed the beauty of the tunic. So she can have the comfort of a long shirt and an extra “pad-wearing disguise”. Genius.  Here's what I'm buying her....she wears the same size as me and is creeping on a full inch taller.   We're getting it in black...that will be PERFECT!

Moral of the story. Tunics rule and my 12 year old still needs me.

Passing on a good recipe for Chocolate Maple Pecan Pie Bars (gluten and sugar free if you use Cacao Power).  The blog this came from is fun...www.mommypotamus.com.  She's so healthy I can't possibly aspire to that much healthiness...but it's impressive!!

Signed, ME {lv}

A Spectacular Fail

Blog update: the raw onion bread was a complete fail, darn it! I had such high hopes, too.

At first, all was well. The raw mix of onions, tamari, flax meal and sunflower seeds smelled amazing and looked ready to hydrate away into delicious "bread". After a couple of hours, the smell had ripened into a tantalizingly savory aroma, and I looked forward to the final product - a mere 34 hours from then! 22 hours later, I flipped the congealing mass as instructed, and set the timer for 12 more. 

Fast forward two more hours, and the "delicious aroma" had turned into something else. Something cloying, sweet-but-salty-but-bad - and it kept on "ripening" until I wanted to hurl! I actually had to put the dehydrator in the basement, and close the door! I was determined to let it finish, so I could assess the result, but it was hard going. The entire house stunk of dehydrated onions, for 36 hours. 

When the timer finally went off and the bread was done - it was revolting. Like a big, poopy birds nest. I think I sliced the onions too thick - they were totally stringy, the thing had not condensed into a bread-like texture, but looked like matted chest hair. SO GROSS!!! 

I wouldn't taste it - after smelling that smell for 36 hours, I could NOT put that poopy birds nest in my mouth, but Greg bravely tried it! He tentatively put a tiny bit in his mouth, and then said with a sad smile, "It's pretty terrible." HAHAHAHA! So much for my "portal to a new world of health and joy"!!! 

I should have stuck with something easy and fool-proof my first time out. Dried some apples, or bananas or something. 4 hours, and you're done. I'll do that next, if for nothing else to regain my confidence and heal from the trauma of the raw onion chest hair. And when I'm ready, there are some amazing-looking raw cinnamon rolls I want to make. Amanda said it best when she said, "They will SMELL good, if nothing else!" Right? 

Oh well, you have to learn somehow. Stay tuned for more dehydrating adventures!!!! :) xoxox Diane

My Favorite Gift

Ok, this might not float everyone's boat, but I got the best xmas present ever!!! Was it a diamond ring, you ask? An exotic trip? A shopping spree at Melange? Well, no, although any of those things would normally take first prize on my list of gifts, but guess what I did get?! A DEHYDRATOR!!!! Woot!!!

For those of you (and I'm sure there are many) who are scratching their heads and thinking "what". I will just say that this inauspicious appliance is a PORTAL TO  A NEW WORLD.   A wonderous world of delicious food packed with nutrients. A portal to blissful health, and weight loss. I have wanted one for so long, and even as we speak it is on its maiden dehydrate. I'm starting off with high expectations, I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew, so to speak, I probably should have started out with something simple like dried apples or bananas. Yum! I can't wait to dry fruit to have on hand all the time! No, I shot for the stars and so my first dehydrated food is "Raw Onion Bread" from the amazing "cook"book "Rawvolution" by Matt Amsden. I have had this bread before, at the Rawvolution restaurant in Santa Monica, and at the fabulous Harlow restaurant here in Portland. It is DELICIOUS. Chewy, savory, and so filling! 

Raw food is best for your body. Delicious though your cooked food may be, it is a scientific fact that cooking food kills almost all of the nutrients, and makes the food harder to digest. This causes all kinds of problems from gas to gastrointestinal disease.

Our bodies are made to eat raw food, to crunch things with our teeth, to smell raw things with our noses (side note: did you know that slicing raw onions releases a natural cancer-fighting chemical into the air that you breathe? Pretty cool, huh? So next time you slice onions and cry, cry tears of joy!) and to digest raw vegetables and fruits most efficiently. I mostly eat raw anyway, with the exception of cooked oatmeal and some faux meats and rice - but I want to up my health game this year, and this thing is going to help me do it. I don't eat any regular bread - processed flour is like sugar, and bloats me out, makes me fat, and keeps me addicted. So I quit all bread products. So this raw onion bread will hopefully be something I can substitute for sandwiches, burgers, etc. Dehydrators are definitely not about instant gratification. Lol, they teach paitence for sure! It takes 36 hours to make this bread, only 23 more to go, lol!  :)   Fingers crossed it works out! xoxo  Diane 

 

So much harder than I thought….

I’m realizing, on day 4, that the two things I’ve tried to successfully tackle so far I’ve completely failed at.

#1: Eating no sugar:

I should know better than to be cocky about already being healthy and not really needing to lower my sugar —or at least it not being all that hard. Turns out, it’s HARD. Not because I’m trying to grab cookies and candy, but because sugar is literally in everything! I’m realizing that even all the healthy stuff I buy has sugar in it. What the what? I know I’ve heard it a million times…American’s are addicted, sugar is in everything, but I really did have a false sense of protection because I’m buying what appears to be healthy, organic products with minimal natural ingredients.  

My normal "go-to healthy snacks” have all had sugar. Veggie snacks, my sunbutter, my jam, the priobiotic yogurt drink, the gluten free Milton's crackers, my vitamin gummy (to be fair these really do taste more like candy and I probably DID know they had sugar). That’s just the stuff off the top of my head.   I’ve had to really look at everything I’m eating, because so far I’ve NOT lived up to the challenge …mostly because I’m already eating voraciously by the time I’ve bothered to read the ingredients. I’m going to try not to repeat this mistake tomorrow.

I’ve done some digging on possible “sweet treat” substitutes….because I’m a cycle sweets eater for sure. Around my period, that’s when I crave Ben & Jerry’s, or chocolate, or really anything sweet. I find pints of B & J toffee ice cream after period week in the freezer with nothing left but some sad looking lonely vanilla because in some late night sugar craze I’ve picked all the toffee out. Every piece.   It’s not pretty and it’s isolated usually to period week, but let’s face it, that’s 25% of the month, there’s no ignoring it.

I found these recipes. They don't  necessarily sound amazing (I didn't run out and get the ingredients today for example), but it sounds better than nothing, and my attitude toward it might improve as the days go by. Homemade Sugarfree Mounds Bars and Pumpkin Cranberry Blondies

 

#2 Cleaning out my workout stuff:

This seems quick and easy, but it’s not so much. I’ve tried and I’m trying again, and here’s what I’m doing:

•             I’m gathering all my workout bottoms in one place (which seems like it should already be the case, but is not). I’m pulling out each pair, and literally smelling them (sometimes they get a mildew smell because they are wet and don’t get washed right away), checking to make sure they aren’t so faded they look like homeless pants, and making sure they aren’t already partially destroyed by washing them wrong. (I’ve made some poor washing decisions in the past…like washing fluffy linty cotton towels with my supplex).
•             I’m doing the same with all my tops/jog bras and workout tees. Workout tees get gross SO fast. It doesn’t take long, so do yourself a favor and retire the questionable ones.   One thing I realized is that while I have a pile of workout bras, I really only have ONE that I love, and I’m always looking for that ONE. I’m retiring the others, because they don’t really fit well, they are either too tight or too loose, and I’m buying myself some new ones.
•             I bought myself a new water bottle. Why? Definitely not because I “need” it, I have two that I love.  I did it because I dig this new Swell bottle (because it keeps things hot too), and it’s small (and I don’t really end up drinking much during my workout because I’ll have to pee and after 4 kids that means I spend the whole workout trying not to pee).   Most of the times I have the thing in my purse so I want it to be lightweight too which this one is..
•             I delicated a new laundry basket in the laundry room to JUST workout stuff. Thus far I’ve never made this simple step. But now that Ava & Lucia also have leggings that need separate washing, we’re talking about a pile of stuff that really does warrant it’s own basket. Plus this way I’m lessening the chance of washing them wrong and making them less than perfect because I’m infamous for just “throwing it all in”. Here are some good tips on washing your stuff from two sites I came across:  sheknows.com and www.huffingtonpost.com

            Having your workout stuff easy, ready to go, and stuff you love to wear makes working out more tolerable. I pretty much hate exercise, hate. But I do it with religious commitment (mostly because if I don’t I’ll fall off the wagon super easy and it’ll all be over).   My workout clothes are the best part of the entire thing, besides the satisfaction of getting it done, and the general enjoyment at not having super squishy thighs and turkey arms. Mind you, I used the word “super squishy”…my bar isn’t really even all that high because a little squishy is just fine with me.

Signed, ME {lv}

My No Sugar January

I've never really been one to do resolutions. Sure, I LOVE the fresh slate of a new year, and a chance to be better than before...but isn't that what we are already doing on a day to day basis? ;) I'll go thru phases where I will cut out a certain food for a week to keep things exciting, or not eat out for "x" amount of time, or whatever it is. But never really been one to say that I am not drinking alcohol this year (not that crazy). I have found out about myself that if I make one change, it tends to have the ripple effect for other daily choices I make. For example, if I cut out bread for a week, I make better all around choices. Not that I just cut out bread, only to replace it with churros. ;) Although, that is a dream I have! :)

So, starting January 2nd (because the 1st is technically a holiday, and I wanted to go out with a bang!), I am giving up sugar, aka sweet treats, aka, my life line. I don't drink coffee or anything, so at least it won't put my morning routine in uproar. But, when it will come crashing down, is after lunch, and dinner. I ALWAYS have something sweet after those meals. A chocolate chip cookie (still warm!) from the bakery next door after lunch. Or a small salted caramel. SOMETHING. Same with dinner. I also always have chocolate in my purse. Todd calls it "purse chocolate", which doesn't sound as appetizing as it actually is. I love my sweets - so this is going to be a challenge for sure! As I am writing this, its day 1 of what I predict to be, the longest month ever, and about an hour after lunch, which is cookie time - not that I am keeping track or anything. I'll just keep chugging water, and hope I don't notice. I don't really have expectations as to what I want to get out of this (besides general health), but I wanted to do something - create a discipline, "crack down", challenge myself. So for January I will cut out sweets, and February I will try something different. Maybe food related, maybe not, we will see what I am feeling.

My rules are pretty relaxed, so it’s manageable. No refined sugar - I am still eating bread, fruit, etc. Basically just cutting out sweets, cookies, candy - not going way overboard. haha. I did give myself two exceptions...Jan 1st, and Jan 20th, my little sisters birthday. If she has a good dessert planned, I will let myself have a little bit. If it's not worth breaking the streak for, I won't. But at least I have already factored that in, so I don't have to feel bad when it comes down to it. I've stocked up on no sugar added dried fruits, and applesauce for a little sweet tooth craving. We will so how this goes.

If, I mean WHEN, I meet this goal I am rewarding myself with a silk pillow case - this gal I follow thru her blog got one, and when on and on about how it's good for your hair (no more bed head!), proven to be better for your skin, preventing wrinkles, etc. Maybe none of that is true, but that's okay, because right now it's my motivation, and the idea of crawling into bed on an ivory silk pillow case sounds AMAZING!! So here we go...it's been 14 hours since I have had a sweet treat, and I feel like I got this.  Wish me luck!

No Sugar January...A Joiner's Perspective

No Sugar January….

Full disclosure, this is Amanda’s idea, her challenge, her fault….I’m just going along for the ride. Her January goal is to eat NO sugar. Starting when you ask? January 1^st? Uhhhhmmmmm, nope. Starting January 2^nd. When I asked her why January 2^nd was the start date instead of January 1^st (which seems,well, the obvious choice), she said because she knew that there was going to be New Year Eve treats still in the house and general New Year Day celebration eating—and she didn’t want to miss out on that. So she started January 2, Monday. Monday is the clean slate day.

Next question I had for her was, what qualifies as sugar? I mean, an apple is essentially sugar, does that count? She narrowed it down to NO REFINED SUGAR. So basically, her desire is to cut out the cookies, cakes, candy, sweet treats etc. None. At all. Well, actually she did leave a caveat for one day—her little sister’s birthday. She has pre-marked that day as her “one sugar day”. I like the realism in that choice, don't set yourself up for failure, good motto.

Honey? Agave? Stevia? All ok, per Amanda’s rules. I grilled her hard, I wanted to know what we were up against.   Could I make cookies with Stevia? Amanda said technically yes, but she probably wouldn’t. I told her to wait a few days, a stevia cookie might look real good at some point.  I've never checked, is there a stevia sweets section at the grocery store?

I did not jump on this train without a serious Q & A. I mean truthfully I have already tried to generally limit my sugar, and since I have other issues to focus on I have to really think about were to put my energy. It’s a good goal though, sugar is never healthy for you, we all know that. Plus, Amanda estimates she’ll save $60 in the month of January by foregoing her after lunch daily cookie at the bakery down the road. She even has implemented a reward system….if she meets her goal of no sugar , she is buying herself a luxurious silk pillowcase which she excitedly told me, helps with face wrinkles AND damaged hair. So really, if she cuts out sugar she not only makes her body healthier, she will have less wrinkles and damaged hair. Win, win, win.

So, the challenge is on…..I’m going to do it. I definitely ate way more sugar in December than I normally do, and did I feel worse for it? Well, December is a tough month to gauge, because I also drank more, slept less, had more stress, and so it’s hard to tell WHAT exactly (and in what percentage) contributed to my lesser self. Cutting sugar can’t hurt, plus I want to support Amanda, and now I kind of want a silk pillow too.   I wonder if I bought the pillowcase NOW, if the guilt of not following thru with the challenge (for which I took an early reward) would be just as motivating?

Are you in?

Signed, ME {lv}

p.s. it’s been 5 hours of my “join the club no-sugar fiesta” and I’ve officially already blown it. UNBEKNOWNST to me (but since I know that sugar is hidden anywhere I really should have known), the veggie sticks I just munched on HAD SUGAR. Dang. I guess I let the organic, all natural, nothing artificial label and gourmet store price-tag lull me into thinking it actually was healthy and had no hidden fillers…like sugar. Bummer. So beware, this whole no-sugar thing might be harder than we (meaning me) thought!!

Eating My Way Thru 2017....

I recently read a blog post on thekitchn.com that summed up my yearly frustration when I try to come at meal  planning from a different angle-thus far every angle being wrong.   Every attempt I've made has lasted a week (at best) and then gets sabotaged, or I get bored, or.... insert any number of reasons/excuses.  The result is a crazy high food bill at our house, lots of waste and a huge dose of sub par meals.  Our food bill is higher now that we live 5 minutes from a variety of restaurants and take out options (vs. a year ago when we were 25 mins away from anything).  It's a combo of spending money for nothing, wastefulness, and general disorganization woes that make me revisit the meal planning situation EVERY January--it's always top of my list.  

Cooking is tough with 4 kids.  No one ever wants the same thing, so the concept of asking at 5 p.m.--"what do you want for dinner?" almost certainly guarantees a full blown war.  I have already come to terms with the fact that whatever I make (and during the week it's mostly me, during the weekends, most John), will only get maybe 2-3 supports if I'm really lucky, at least one person will pick-it-apart so much it doesn't resemble what I made, and at least on person will absolutely refuse to touch it.  The only variable might be whether someone actually verbally assaults it, that often happens, but not always.   Choices are limited though, I either constantly cook dumb food (kids will almost always opt for the simple foods like pizza or pasta with simple sauce, no spice), OR I cook a variety of things each night for everyone's whims and drive myself crazy....OR I just cook something that seems good, doesn't fall into the dumb category, and is healthy but doesn't contain more than 2 of the following "uber" heathy things that don't gain support with anyone under 18: quinoa, spinach, kale, squash, garbanzo beans, bulgar wheat...you get the idea.  

I got some great tips from the blog post above (it's a cool site with lots of tidbits), and then noticed on one of the comments someone suggested cooksmarts.com for meal menu planning and I'm giving it a whirl.  It already seems easier than the last digital meal planning I tried (emeals.com) because on a weekly basis it allows you to use what they suggest, or choose a meal from the archives and then they still add it all together and get you one shopping list.  I took an $8 gamble and ordered it for a month, and have pledged to actually use it for one solid month before I give up (a good suggestion from the blog).  Maybe it will actually become a habit this time.  I'll keep you posted.  There's about a 50/50 chance it won't work, and I'll end up paying $8 a month on auto debit until I realize it and it's May and I've used the menus once.  Please root for me.  signed, LV
(also note this gorgeous pantry picture I took off another one of the blog posts they did on pantry organization -- it's just inspiring to look at)!  I felt obliged to fully disclose, lest you think that's MY pantry.  My pantry is like that, but opposite. 

Delicious, Festive, and Fun for the Kids!

Here is our new favorite thing. Pressed-glass sugar cookies! How clever is this?! You make your regular sugar cookie and cut them out with a round cutter, then stamp them with the ends of your favorite juice glasses! Or, whatever has some kind of edge or molded shape on the bottom. You'd be surprised how pretty even the simplest little scallop, or dimple that's molded into the bottom of a glass with no intention of ever really being seen - looks stamped into a cookie! So cute, and so unexpected. And perfect for little hands to help with. A link to a delicious vegan sugar cookie recipe is here. Bon Appetit and have some delicious fun! 

Delicious, Healthy, Easy, Festive.

Another delicious recipe, and this one is like a fantasy: TOTALLY CLEAN, GOOD-FOR-YOU BAKED CHEESE. Oh yes, just in time for the holidays, thank you so much Lands and Flavors, this thing is a life-saver! Now, to be perfectly transparent I should change the name to "cheez", or some such thing, because of course it's NOT cheese. And it won't completely take the place of actual cheese, it won't compete with the fat-filled, creamy baked brie that will tempt during the holidays (as well as bringing along with it all the gas and pain and bloating that baked brie often does), but it might just be a delicious snack to work in amongst all the treats - to dilute the deluge of calories and sick-making foods that are EVERYWHERE starting about now. If you don't like it, hey, no worries. If however like me you find it surprisingly savory, flavorful, satisfying and light - then bon appetit! Try serving this with some olives or tapenade on crackers. NOTE: an absolute must in my opinion is to modify the original recipe by adding at least twice the garlic and 1/4 c nutritional yeast, not only does this UP the taste/wow/cheesy factor it adds TONS of nutrients!!!! Le yum!!!! XOXOXO DR 

Original Recipe: (I followed the almond meal version, and you will need cheesecloth!)

 

 

 

BASIC ALMOND CHEESE 

 

 

  A 4-ingredient recipe for vegan basic almond cheese that can be enjoyed as is or crumbled on      salads, pasta, or pizza.

 Author: Lands & Flavors

 INGREDIENTS

•  160g or 5.5 oz unroasted, blanched almonds, soaked for 6 hours or more (If you don't have a  kitchen scale, the equivalent measurements are 1¼ cups of whole blanched almonds or 1¾ cups  of almond flour/meal.)
•  2½ Tablespoons (36 ml) lemon juice
•  3 Tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
•  ½ clove of garlic
•  1¼ teaspoons sea salt
•  ⅔ cup (160 ml) water

 

 INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Soak the almonds in water for 6 hours or overnight.
2.  Drain and put the almonds into a blender with the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and water.
3.  Blend on high until the almonds become as smooth as possible. Depending on your blender, this may take a few minutes. Pause and scrape down the sides of the blender occasionally. If it is too thick and is not blending, add more water 1 Tablespoon at a time until the mixture blends properly.
4. When smooth and creamy, remove the mixture from the blender into a small sieve that has been lined with fine cheesecloth. Place this sieve over a bowl to catch the draining water and refrigerate overnight. This not only removes the excess water, but also improves the flavor by allowing the flavors to marry.
5. After the cheese has drained well overnight, carefully invert it onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, removing all of the cheesecloth. You have two options for baking: Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 25-30 minutes for a just set, more spreadable cheese. Alternatively, bake it at 350°F (180°C) for 30-40 minutes for a more set, more crumbly, yet still creamy cheese. You can even keep baking it longer at this temperature for a browned look. It may crack slightly but the flavor will still be great and the cheese will even be sliceable. I tend to prefer the hotter, longer baking method.
6. After it cools down, put in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will firm up a little after chilling.

 

NOTES

-Use this recipe as a base and play around with it as you see fit. Sometimes I add some nutritional yeast, miso, or rejuvelac for a cheesier taste. Or sometimes I add some unroasted cashews during the blending to produce an even creamier consistency. As is, this cheese is a clean-tasting replacement for something like a light chèvre.

-Speed things up by using the same amount of ground almonds instead of whole or slivered. This allows you to skip the soaking step and blend immediately.

What Fall Weekends Were Made For

Ahhhh, it's raining! Whoever thought we'd be starving for rain in Oregon?! But starving we are - it's like perpetual summer around here these days! But today....ahhhhhhh. It's not quite a downpour, but a good, steady rain for at least an hour now, turning into a consistent drizzle. Everything looks wet, smells good, and there are hardly any people on the street. With perpetual summer comes perpetual motorcycle engines, leaf blowers, bumping stereos and loud porch drinkers. Right now it's cool, calm and quiet, just the way I like it!  

 ON to the snack portion of this post: THE PERFECT RAINY DAY CHILI CHEESE NACHOS

These babies are full of flavor, texture, silky, cheesy smoothness and savory satisfaction, BUT - they have no dairy, no meat, no processed food of any kind! They are actually healthy chili cheese nachos! Serve em to your kids! Serve em to your footballers! They'll be so intent on the game they won't even notice they're healthy! 

Here is the recipe for the amazing "cheese" sauce, of which you'll need two batches so DOUBLE THIS RECIPE.(So easy!) 

Cheese Sauce

Ingredients: 1/4 c raw cashews soaked for at least one hour. 1 1/4 c diced potatoes, heaping 1/3 c diced carrots, 2 - 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 Tbsp water, 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 medium clove garlic, 1/2 - 3/4 tsp white wine vinegar, to taste.

Directions: Simply boil the potatoes and carrots until tender, drain and put everything the blender, blending until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding tiny bit of water to taste. This stuff is SO GOOD!

Chili Nachos

Ingredients: 1/2 package of morningstar griller crumbles, a double recipe (2 batches) of vegan cheese sauce, 2 c diced onion, 1 red bell pepper diced with juices, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 14 oz diced tomatoes, 1 can red kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 c sliced black olives, 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp pchili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano. 

Directions: Sautee griller crumbles as directed, set aside. In a large skillet sautee onion and garlic until tender. Add beans and tomatoes and spices and sautee another ten minutes. Remove from heat. In a glass container, or large dip container, pour a layer of bean and tomato mixture, topped by a layer griller cumbles, a sparse layer of olives, and then a layer of cheese sauce, and continue layering until cheese is used up covering the top, saving 1/3 c of bean mixture for a "garnish", topped with olives. Place chips as desired. Serve. Enjoy!

xoxoxo DR

 

Back-to-Cool

Don't you LOVE fall?! There must be something innately, biologically ingrained in us to love fall. When the air turns a little bit brisk after the dog days of summer, and we smell some wood smoke in the air, or there is a good, hard rain during the night and you wake up to that smell of soaked pine needles, and hear the crows happily cawing overhead, and you start thinking....pumpkins. Pie. Cashmere. BOOTS!!!!! 

It used to be that along with visions of coziness fall would bring its own load of stress. The words "'back-to-school" at first delighted me as a young parent - I enjoyed shopping for school supplies with Cora, and taking her to her early years at school, participating in events, making costumes, volunteering, packing lunches, etc. It was really fun, and really cute most of the time! But...as the tween years wane and the teen years wax...it is less fun. "School supplies" become exponentially more expensive as they grow older. They don't need college ruled paper and pencils anymore. They need expensive calculators and lap tops, apps and phone plans. And many pairs of expensive shoes. Yikes! 

But now, a fresh empty-nester - those three words hold no power over me. When I see huge ads for back-to-school sales I don't panic, I don't brace myself - I realize they aren't talking to me anymore. I am free to enjoy fall without pressure. Free to cook, make things, take walks and brighten the house. I'm so excited!!!!!!!! 

As you can tell I adore cooking. I wish food had no calories (don't we all) so that I could cook all the time and eat everything I cook. Instead I try to find the cleanest recipes I can so that I can enjoy making them and eat them without adverse consequences. Fall is an especially wonderful time to get into the kitchen, especially if you don't have to cook (and clean, ugh) for little ones. I had a great time baking that chocolate cake the other day, and I followed it up with the most amazing faux-chicken soup in the world. I'm including the recipe below. It is so flavorful, so lip-smackingly delicious, and so healthy I'm going to make it again as soon as possible. As long as it's easy, healthy and delicious, I'm in cooking-heaven. I don't even mind doing the dishes, when there aren't too many.

Art is also calling - I'm making a new print - a simple floral stencil and spray paint kind of print, but at least it's something after a long time of not making any art. I feel so inspired by having a clean, quiet house, I feel like making things all day long! I think I must be part-hobbit the way I love my home to be just so, cozy, and somewhat reclusive. Next week I'm going to make some velvet pumpkins. Velvet pumpkins!!!! And velvet acorns!!!! How gorgeous are those?!!! I'm including the tutorial here because they look SO easy! (you can also youtube them!)

And let me just add - as far as the holidays go (and I know this is controversial) - in my house it's never too early. As long as its tasteful and in the appropriate doses, holiday decor can happen any old time after August. I'm not talking garish Halloween decor, unless it's simple pumpkins and soft lights - something beautiful. I do not care for the macabre, the ghoulish, the gory or the terrifying. I am a wimp, a wuss, an early-to-bed-Julie-Andrews kind of girl. But who isn't, really, deep down? It's possible to love scary Halloween and love cozy lanterns and candle light, cozy cottages with crackling firesides, spiced cider and harvest soup. I think it's impossible not to. That biologically-wired-to-love-fall thing I mentioned before. So that's what this fall is to me. Getting creative, cooking delicious food, and savoring every moment. Oh, and cashmere. It's always about cashmere. And boots.

 xoxoxo Happy Tuesday! DR 

 

AMAZING FAUX-CHICKEN SOUP-FOR-THE-SOUL

1 package Morningstar Chicken Strips 

2 containers of Imagin No-Chicken Broth

1/4 cilantro, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, sliced

2 c white rice, cooked

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: sautee chicken strips as directed, add diced onion and sautee until transluscent, set aside. Pour one container of broth into a soup pot and add diced carrots. Bring to a boil and cook until carrots are tender - about six minutes or so. Add chicken and onions and rice, along with second broth container. Cook for three minutes or until completely heated through and ameliorated. Add cilantro and salt and pepper and serve! Bon Appetit! xoxo 

 

The Best Chocolate Cake I've Ever Had

There might be a person on this planet who doesn't like chocolate cake, but I have not met them yet. Smooth, moist, rich, satisfying, so very chocolatey... I think we all agree - chocolate cake is the bomb! 

It was my husband's birthday the other day and he requested a simple chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting. What he got was the best chocolate cake either of us have ever had - and, joyfully, it is SO EASY TO MAKE! This baby is so easy I plan on whipping it up any time the occasion permits - family dinner, neighbor game night, fall picnic - it is sure to please anyone, anywhere, and draw sighs of sheer pleasure from every lucky recipient. Recipe below, and also on this fabulous blog: http://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/2015/11/21/the-ultimate-vegan-chocolate-cake/   

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  40 mins

Total time:  1 hour

 

Serves: 1 two layer cake with frosting

 

INGREDIENTS

• Dry Ingredients:
• 2½ Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2½ Cups White Sugar
• 1 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Wet Ingredients:
• 2⅔ Cups Non-Dairy Milk of Choice (I used soy)
• ⅔ Cups Light Oil (such as canola or vegetable)
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• Frosting Ingredients:
• ½ Cup Vegan Butter (Such as Earth Balance)
• ½ Cup Vegetable Shortening (see notes)
• 1¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
• ¼ Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons Non-Dairy Milk (if needed)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To Make the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350F (180C).
2. Prepare two 8" round baking pans by lightly greasing them, and then cutting a circle of parchment paper to fit into the bottom.
3. In a large bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients, then set aside.
4. In a medium bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over mix.
6. Divide the batter into the prepared pans, then pop them in the oven.
7. Bake for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
8. To Make the Frosting: Use a mixer to blend all of the frosting ingredients except for the non dairy milk. Blend until whipped and creamy. If the frosting is a bit to stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.
9. To Assemble the Cake: Run a knife around the edges of the cake pans, and flip the pans over to remove the cakes. Remove the parchment paper and discard.
10. Set the first cake on your cake plate, and spread about half of the frosting on top. Place the second cake on top of the frosted cake, and spread the remaining frosting on top of that cake. Add swirl patterns with your spatula to make it pretty. Store the cake in the fridge or a cool place until you are ready to serve.

So Yum, So Easy! Refreshing, Healthy Summer Snackage!

I love what is going on in the food world. So many lovely people creating new, healthy, beautiful recipes that delight the senses and the soul. I follow about fifty instagram accounts that dazzle me every day with their carefully-crafted food photography, inspiring me every day to try something new! And I'd have to say that about 99.9% of the time it comes out DELICIOUS! 

This time is no exception. The other day I made "Raw, Vegan, Sugar-Free Nice Cream Cake"! This bad boy had a chocolate macaroon base, a banana nice cream filling and a chocolate ganache top! With no sugar, no dairy, no preservatives, nothing bad at all in it. Plus, it lasted about three days, it is very satisfying, even filling, so you only want one piece at a time and are perfectly full and sated after that. A very handy snack to have on hand when the sugar cravings hit! 

I also got inspired to make Baked Root Veggie Chips and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Not everything needs to be sweet! And these were another huge success. The chips are so easy to make, you'll never want to buy another $4 half-full bag of store bought chips again. They don't hold a CANDLE to these flavorful, chewy, crispy, perfectly salted, FRESH chips! And the hummus....oh boy let me just say that it has enough garlic in it to cure anything. It is amazing. No oil either!!! Just fresh, savory, flavorful, filling hummus to dip those veggie chips into, and then why not follow it down with a slice of Nice Cream Cake? Summer perfection, I'm telling you, and not a bad ingredient in sight. Totally guilt-free snacking! Now that's good news on a Monday, am I right?  xoxoxoxo DR 

Here is the delightful video on how to make the ice cream cake. 

 

Here is the link to the delicious hummus (note: I roasted one red bell pepper and chopped it fine and added it to the mix): 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/hummus-recipe.html

and here is the link to the recipe and video for those chips! http://tiphero.com/root-veggie-chips/

 

Rawmazing

I have found an unlikely guru. A Hollywood-tanned, surfer-haired fifty-something who makes amazingly cheezy videos - not the type you'd think I'd get inspired by. However - he is incredible!

 Markus Rothkranz wants you to live forever. Or at least past one hundred, and sharp as a tack and physically able right up to the end of life. And his own story is a testimony to the success of his approach. It's all about eating only foods that are alive - with a life force still inside them. Turns out when you heat food above 118 degrees it kills the nutrients inside it, so by the time you eat those organic leafy greens you bought at Whole Foods, they are for the most part, dead. You get some nutrients, but not NEARLY the amount or the power of those that are killed as soon as the plant is cut. I guess ideally you grow your own veggies and eat them straight from the garden. I don't have a garden. Yet. But I did buy his "cook"book, lol, I guess Recipe Book would be a better name, called "Love on a Plate", and will start making some of those dishes today. I've already made his healthy, vegan, sugar-free, freezer chocolate and am totally hooked! That stuff is killer delicious, lo-cal and will actually help you lose weight. Crazy, but true. And that is Markus's whole gig - that you can have it all, you can eat all the deliciously-sweet, salt, savory, fatty dishes you want, just made out of different ingredients. HEALTHY ingredients, so that there is not a guilt-pang in sight as you down that chocolate cake. Not a pound will appear when you scarf down that almond cheese. Eat it, love it! And it will love you back. Here is Markus's youtube channel, brace yourself: it's hilarious. But it's also a source of incredible health, long life, even a spiritual satisfaction and peace. It all works together and I'm excited to get started! Stay tuned for pics of what I make! :) xoxoxoxo DR

 ps: Markus works with his partner Cara who is a gourmet raw chef and was raised by a very health-conscious mother, and who seems to know everything there is to know about food alchemy. Even if her fashion sense leaves something to be desired...cough. But hey, why so judgy, Diane? Free to be you and me, right? Cheers to both of them! :) 

Smoothie Snacks

Who doesn't love a snack. Snacks are what make the world go 'round. Between meals (or in place of large ones), snacks are what keep our bodies and brains going. They are what give us the energy to get through the day and all of the draining tasks that face us. Let's face it, just getting out of bed is a feat in itself some days. Add to that the whole breakfast-getting ready-getting kids ready-cleaning kitchen-paying bills-walking dog-getting to work-actually working-getting home-dinner-dishes-conversation-thing, and whew! WE NEED SOME SNACKS HERE! 

Which can be problematic. For me, I have to have snacks at a certain time or I start to get a little weird. First I feel peckish, irritable, and then...even panicky? Some kind of icky anxiety comes over me when I haven't eaten anything healthy in a few hours, and suddenly it becomes highly likely I might reach for something unhealthy. And once I've done that, it's kind of over. I definitely have a food addiction, and if I'm not careful about what I snack on it rears its ugly head and I just want more and more bad snacks. Which leaves me feeling all kinds of bad - physically, emotionally...and this I really don't need! Not from a simple snack!

A couple of years ago I found my answer to staying on the right side of healthy snacking. Every single day (ok except for my birthday and xmas and those those beer-n-veggie burger-dates with the Mr.). My answer is to always, always have healthy (and delicious, they must be delicious!) snacks on hand. Do not run out. That is where the trouble starts. If I don't have anything healthy ready to go, I start to reach for bread, for sugar, for...whatever else there is, and that will derail the day.

My everyday snacks include:

1. peanut butter or almond butter, and maple syrup. (organic). These are my chocolate-and-sugar-busters. When I am craving something sweet, creamy, with a little salty crunch, I have a tablespoon or two of crunchy peanut or almond butter, and a tablespoon or two of pure maple syrup. In a tea cup, and I eat it with a spoon, taking a little of each in every bite. I swear to god it's like candy. Totally clean, and only around 200 calories (or less) depending on how much you eat. It cuts my cravings instantly.Totally satisfies my desire for sugar. Wow!
2. GREEN (or fruit) SMOOTHIES. These really are the Big Guns in my snack arsenal. When I started drinking at least one and sometimes two or even three green smoothies a day ( I make a big pitcher in the morning and then just drink from it throughout the day) I lost weight. A lot of weight. AND I felt amazing, and it's been years now since I've had even a cold. I make the same green smoothie every day and here's what goes in it: Kale, baby spinach, juice, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries and mangos, almond milk and chia seeds. It comes out sweeeet, frosty, and absolutely satisfying. And it's the best food in the world going straight into your system with all of the incredible antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and cancer-resisting properties you can find. It makes it totally easy (and even delightful) to eat a large amount of kale, spinach and fruit every single day!!! 
3. Non-dairy yogurt. I love the Almond Dream vanilla yogurts. Sweet, creamy and just plain almond dreamy. :)

That's it. Those are my everyday, go-to snacks that see me through my day with plenty of energy, no guilt, no bloating, and keep me not only from sliding down the slippery slope of bad snacks, but keep me from getting sick. You can't say that about a snicker's bar. 

Yesterday I added a new smoothie to my roster: THIS AMAZING TURMERIC SMOOTHIE. Turmeric is an ancient spice that has been used for centuries to fight inflammation and other diseases, at the molecular level. In several studies, its potency has compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs… except without the side effects. Read this article for more about its incredible disease-fighting properties.

I had been meaning to make a turmeric smoothie for a long time and I am so glad I finally did. It is delicious!!! So now I'll basically be drinking smoothies one kind or another, all day long. Which is no hardship, actually. As I said before they are so creamy and frosty and filling, it's kind of miraculous, and it makes me want to share with the zeal of an evangelical. :) 

So from me to you, happy snacking, happy spring (almost), and happy Monday everyone!

xoxoxoxo DR

Snack-Attack: Quick, Clean, Kid-friendly, Fashion-friendly Muffins!!!

We interrupt our regular programming to bring you this breaking recipe: Flourless, Vegan Blender Muffins!!!

This is a particularly special recipe because it is:

1. Delicious (this is very important to me, no matter how "clean" I'm cooking: it MUST taste delicious or I won't bother eating it, let alone sharing it. These little flavor bombs are lip-smackingly good - sweet, filling, and sweet-tooth satisfying, all without any sugar!
2. Completely guilt-free. There is no dairy fat, no sugar, no flour even! They are only made of vegetables and fruit! A muffin of our dreams really, when you think about it, and the fact there is no flour makes them perfect for me. For some reason flour is like crack to me - even whole wheat! When I have a slice of bread, or a real muffin or a pancake...I just want more. Once I've had some form of bread I wake the bread dragon inside and I just can't stop eating it. And it almost immediately bloats me and makes me feel sluggish and heavy. Yuck! But these muffins: have no flour!
3. So easy to make. They are SO easy, in fact, your kid could make them. With oven-supervision of course. But I mean, what could be easier than putting everything a blender and pushing a button?! It's fantastic!

I've made these twice. I do suggest using baking parchment to line your muffin tin, I didn't use any the first time and they stuck like mad. With the paper however, they came out perfect! I also recommend letting them sit for at least 20 minutes after they come out of the oven so they can cool and set a little more. Having no flour can run the risk of a too-soft structure, but if you cook them enough and let them sit they will be HEAVEN. Also, speaking of cooking long enough - I baked them at least five minutes more than they call for in the recipe. I left them in the oven for 25 minutes total, and I veganized it by using 6 Tablespoons of aquafaba instead of the 2 eggs the original recipe called for. (*aquafaba is the water from a can of chickpeas or other beans, it's a protein and acts just like eggs!)

So if you've got a sweet potato, a couple of bananas and some almond butter in your cupboards - you're already there! Happy Baking, and eating! You'll find the original recipe here at superhealthykids.com.

*These are so good they disappear too fast, so do yourself and your kiddos a favor and bake a double batch! :) 

Ingredients

• 1 medium – sweet potato
• 2 medium – banana
• 6 Tablespoons aquafaba, or any egg-replacer for 2 eggs.
• ²/₃ cup – almond butter
• ¹/₄ cup – maple syrup, pure
• ¹/₈ cup – maple syrup, pure
• 1 ¹/₂ teaspoon – cinnamon
• ³/₄ teaspoon – ginger, ground
• ¹/₂ teaspoon – allspice
• ¹/₄ teaspoon – nutmeg
• 2 teaspoon – baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease (and line with baking parchment) a muffin tin.
2. Bake sweet potato until tender (about an hour) and allow to cool, or use leftovers if you have them on hand.
3. Place 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato along with all the remaining ingredients (except the baking powder) in a blender. (Make sure you measure the sweet potato as the texture will change if you add a different amount.) Blend on high until smooth.
4. Add the baking powder and blend on low until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup 3/4 of the way full.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for 20 minutes to fully set. Remove from baking papers and enjoy!!! 

 

Fabulous Fall Food

This week I'm starting out with a treat. Sometimes that is just the way it has to be, dessert before dinner, reward before work, and lip-smacking autumnal goody before anything else! This week's fall food find is the scrumptuous Sweet Potato Cinnamon Muffin! (cue trumpets) These little flavor bombs are the ultimate in sweet comfort food, drizzled with a delicious "caramel" sauce and served with your morning tea or coffee, it'll make any week start off right! The best thing about them besides their taste and texture is that they are packed with nutrients, vegan, and gluten-free!!! Sweet and moist these babies have sweet potatoes in them, two and a half tablespoons of cinnamon, vanilla, and coconut milk. It just doesn't get any better than that! Fun and easy to make, these muffins take very little time and are ready in a half an hour for your enjoyment. And really, you don't have to share. xoxoxo DR 

The delicious recipe from One Green Planet here or here: 

Sweet Potato Muffins:

• 1 1/4 cups almond flour (*for nut-free, see notes below)
• 1/2 cup potato starch (not potato flour) (*for grain-free, see notes below for sub)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup low fat canned coconut milk

Sweet Potato Caramel (makes about 6 tablespoons):

• 1/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
• 1/2 cup low fat canned coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3-4 tablespoons coconut sugar (depending on your sweet-o-meter)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

PREPARATION

To Make the Muffins:

1. First, cook your sweet potato by placing a large sweet potato (with skin on) on foil and roast for 50-60 minutes at 405°F. You want it to be overcooked basically and incredibly juicy and tender, so it mashes very well. Let it cool before preparing the muffins.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with foil liners. Add the almond flour (or sunflower), potato starch, baking powder, sea salt, coconut sugar and cinnamon to a large bowl and whisk very well, breaking up any lumps from the starch. Tip: when measuring potato starch, it tends to leave gaps in the cup, so make sure you are patting it down and leveling off with your finger.
3. In a small bowl, peel the sweet potato and mash it very well, so no lumps remain. Measure out 1/2 cup, making sure to fill the cup and then level off with your finger, so there is not excess potato. Add the potato to a small bowl with the vanilla and coconut milk and stir really well.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until well mixed and thickens some. The batter should be similar to the consistency of cake batter, not thin, but not as thick as traditional muffin batter. However, if you are subbing with oat flour in place of the potato starch, the batter will be thicker. Just gently smooth out the tops.
5. Divide the batter between 8-12 muffin liners, depending on how tall you want them to be. Bake for 22 minutes (unless you are baking with the oat flour, which it will be 20 minutes), when a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs still on it (but not wet batter) and it lightly springs back when touched. When the muffins come out, they will still be slightly undercooked, but will finish cooking over the next 20 minutes. So, do NOT eat them until they have cooled at least 20 minutes. They will then be incredibly soft, light and moist. Drizzle caramel sauce on top following directions below. The muffins are best eaten within 24 hours, as the starch will cause them to start to dry out after a couple of days. I stored mine in the fridge and preferred them that way.

To Make the Caramel:

1. Add all of the sweet potato caramel ingredients (except the vanilla) to a food processor and blend until completely smooth, scraping the sides a couple of times during. Taste and add any more sweetener, if desired.
2. Add to a small pot over a stove and turn to medium-low heat. Once it starts boiling, stir with a rubber spoon for a full couple of minutes or so until it thickens up. This should only take a few minutes. Immediately remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Note that the caramel will thicken up much more as it cools, so don’t worry if it’s not as thick as you want while it’s still warm. It will thicken up more in the fridge as well. Pour into a container and drizzle muffins when they are ready. This caramel sauce would be insane also on ice cream, pancakes, etc.!

NUTRIONAL INFORMATION

*Nutrition per muffin: 146.2 calories, 6.97 g fat, 2.68 g protein, 19.8 carbs, 9.2 g sugar *Nutrition per tablespoon of caramel: 39.6 calories, .8 g fat, .1 g protein, 8 carbs, 6.5 g sugar

Clean, Crisp (and surprisingly cute) Cucumbers!

Happy Fall everyone! Labor Day weekend is kind of the last weekend of Summer and with school begun, we turn our faces to Fall in earnest. Though the days are still sunny there is a welcome bite in the air, a hint of color on the leaves, and the promises of pumpkins, and spiced drinks, and...dare I say...the holidays?!

Ok, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Looking back for five minutes I have to share this amazingly delicious, light, lo-cal, heart-healthy cucumber salad I made. I was really surprised at how much flavor it had using only cucumber "noodles" and cashew cream. There is NO dairy in this salad. And SO much flavor! It's just the thing for a filling, fresh meal or snack that tastes alive, and makes you feel alive too!

recipe is here, and here at rawmazing.com   

Enjoy! xoxoxo DR

Basil Vegan Cream Sauce

• 1 cup cashews, soaked until soft*
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, coarsly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1. Blend cashews, water, lemon juice, and miso until smooth.
2. Add chopped garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Blend on lowest speed to incorporate. You should still see the chopped basil leaves.

Cucumber Noodles and Assembly

• 3-4 cucumbers
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup basil vegan cream sauce
• Fresh ground pepper 

1. Spiralize the noodles. You should have about 4 cups. Pat the noodles dry with paper towels.
2. Stir in the sauce, tomatoes and pine nuts.
3. Top with fresh ground pepper.

The Great British Bake-Along!

I have a new obsession. Perhaps you've heard of it? Or you might already have the same obsession - after all it is rated the number one show in England, and that often spills over the pond. It's "The Great British Bake-Off", a reality show of soft-hearted-but-determined bakers that compete weekly in a beautiful cooking tent set up on one of England's sprawling, aristocratic estates. Inside the tent you'll find the legendary Mary Berry who has been teaching England how to cook since the 1940's, and who is now an acknowledged saint of baking. Gaining Mary's approval is everything to the bakers! The ultimate compliment from Mary Berry is if your concoction tastes "scrummy". If so, you're on cloud 9. If instead your bake is a disappointment, and you garner from Mary one of her level, piercing blue stares...you're doomed. 

With Mary is the dead-serious Paul Hollywood. He is a no-nonsense Master Baker (who also happens to love car racing so on his facebook page you get pictures of him in space age helmets and leather, followed by a beautiful pan of Hot Cross Buns). :) Paul Hollywood also has a piercing blue stare, which is more of a glare, that will turn your knees to jelly and woe unto him or her that gets a comment from him like "That's raw dough". 

TGBBO is what reality television should be. No monetary prizes, no big contracts at stake, no back-stabbing, no bitching, no false alliances. Everyone is so positive, supportive and passionate about baking, it's an inspiration. Watching them fail under pressure is a relief to all of us because boy have we been there. If these amazing bakers can ruin a custard, then we're not so awful after all! And when they succeed, so brilliantly with their show-stopping creations, then we cheer! And salivate! And want to try it too! 

I haven't even mentioned the HILARIOUS, GENIUS comedy duo of Sue Perkins and Mel Gibroycht. They keep the bakers laughing, no matter how stresfull or disasterous their results. And they constantly poke fun, gently teasing the stoic Paul Hollywood and legendary Mary Berry until they can't help but smile. 

All in all it's a brilliant show, and I am having a lot of fun baking along with it! There is a facebook page called "The Great British Bake-Along" where people from all over the world try their hand at the same bakes as on the show, and post their results. I've decided to join in, but veganize everything. So far I've made a delicious vegan Madeira cake, and a rather too-sweet Frosted Walnut Cake, but it has been so much fun trying my hand at new thing! I carmelized walnuts for the first time! They were incredibly delicious, by the way! 

Check out the show if you like to watch sweet, funny people bake their hearts out. And maybe next time there is a bake sale in your world you'll have something quite fantastic to donate! 

happy Monday!   xoxoxoxo DR

Pretty in Pink

I just made this pretty pink party cake and it's so delicious I have to share! I spent quite a bit of time online looking for the right recipe - I wanted to find an almond cake batter, not made with almond meal or flour, but flavored with almond, and some kind of white chocolate icing. I would have to veganize whatever recipe I found, but I didn't think that would be too hard. I soon found that it might be harder than I had anticipated: every almond cake recipe called for at least 5 egg whites, and sometimes 8! You can get away with substituting flax seed for eggs when it's no more than 3 or 4, but 8?

I decided to take a risk on a new discovery that is taking the vegan world by storm: aquafaba. Aquafaba is none other than the water that is in the can with your beans. That's right, the stuff you've been pouring down the drain all these years is the perfect egg-replacer. It's a protein, just like the egg! Chickpeas or Garbanzao beans yield the lightest in color that works well in vanilla-y recipes, but you can also use the water from any beans, or even from a packet of tofu! It's like magic. 3 T aquafaba = 1 egg. You can just pour it in straight from the can. You can also, for a different meal altogether, make AMAZING MERINGUE from aquafaba. Yep, EXACTLY like an egg white meringue. You just whip it, and that bean water transforms into delicious, delightful, white peaked-meringue. Truly marvelous stuff! 

And it didn't let me down here, either. The original, non-vegan recipe was only for a 6" cake, so I had to double it to make my three-layered, 9" cake. This meant the original 4 egg whites it called for had become 8. Which meant 24 Tablespoons of aquafaba! I wasn't sure if this would work, but it sure did. The cake came out so moist and delicious, I may have never had a better birthday cake. :) note: doubling the recipe also meant that I needed to use 4 whole teaspoons of almond extract. The flavor of the cake is
INCREDIBLE. 

The icing recipe came from a different site, and it's delicious too. A white chocolate frosting, easy to veganized with vegan white chocolate, earth balance "butter", and almond milk. Best frosting ever! 

Plus, the cake is pink. Three pink layers with white icing and sprinkles. A party cake if I ever saw one. Bon appetite!  :)  XOXOXO DR

 

Salad Nirvana

The other night I made this recipe to RAVE reviews from both the husband and the teen daughter. It really is a super-tasty-cool treat for a hot summer night, and the dressing is SOOOO good, you'll want to put it on sandwiches, baked potatoes, chips, toast...anything you can! It is packed full of fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, parsley and garlic...with the juice and zest of five limes! You can't beat it. You can't keep it around either, so I'm making another batch tonight to use the rest of the herbs. Btw, your fingers and the kitchen smell like heaven when you make it, which is an added bonus! Enjoy! (note: I don't have a grill so I roasted the corn in the oven. Also, I substituted garbanzo beans for the hemp hearts and added kidney beans and a handful of cashews for a little creamy texture. Add anything you want to this salad, it only gets better!)

Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 jar of Vegenaise or Greek yogurt (about 1 ½ cups total)
• 3 scallions, green and white parts
• 2 cloves raw garlic
• ½ cup fresh basil
• ½ cup fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 1 green jalapeno, deseeded if you want it less spicy
• 1 tablespoon honey (or agave or maple syrup to keep it vegan)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 5 limes (add more or less to taste)
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a food processor or powerful blender, combine all your ingredients and blitz well until you have a smooth, creamy consistency.

2. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding more lime juice to brighten it up if needed.

3. Store the dressing in mason jars in the fridge for up to a week.

Salad

Ingredients

• 2 heads romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 cup cooked chopped sweet potatoes
• 1 avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
• 2 ears of corn, charred on the grill until tender, kernels cut off the cob
• other veggies of your choice. I like chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, cashew nuts and roasted sunflower seeds. Maybe a little fake bacon bits too! 

Directions

1. Evenly distribute the salad ingredients among four bowls or plates. Drizzle a tablespoon of dressing.

2. Serve with extra dressing on the side.

Goddess Salad

I have to share this absolutely DELICIOUS salad and dressing I made last night! Introducing the vegan Cobb Salad. As hearty or even heartier than your usual turkey/egg/ham ensemble, this salad gives you all the protein, fiber, anti-oxydents, anti-inflammatory, blood-cleansing, skin-clearing, stomach-filling, sweet-n-savory combination you could possibly ask for! It's a teenager and a husband-pleaser too, which is sometimes a hard target to hit. But hit it we did, and that's why I have to share! 

The salad and the dressing is SO easy to make. Simply chop your romaine and fill a large bowl. Then line up your chopped ingredients side by side over the top, you'll be delighted how they totally cover it, and consequently fill each bowl with delicious chunks of avocado, nuggets of crunchy cashews, salty faux bacon, juicy tomatoes, creamy kidney beans, sweet corn, and all drizzled with the tantalizingly delicious dressing.

Enough, I'm starting to get hungry again!

Here is the recipe! Bon appetit!!! :) xoxoxo DR

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of romaine lettuce (julienned)
• ½ cup diced tomatoes (100 g)
• ½ cup cooked or canned red beans (95 g)
• ½ cup chopped tempeh bacon (70 g) I like to use Smart Bacon, it's so yum! 
• ½ cup diced avocado (75 g)
• ½ cup corn (95 g)
• ½ cup raw unsalted cashews (70 g)

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (54 g)
• ¼ cup water (62 g)
• ¼ cup agave syrup (84 g) (I have used honey, but that means it's not vegan, fyi).
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp garlic powder

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the lettuce in a large bowl and top with arranged rows of tomatoes, red beans, bacon, avocado, corn and cashews.
2. To make the dressing, you simply combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. You can also whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Serve the vegan Cobb salad immediately with the dressing.

 

 

April Showers Bring May Flowers

A whole new kind of spring bouquet! I found the recipe for these apple rose baked treats on the internet and they looked so simple I had to try them. Instant success! They really have a lot of visual impact for such an easy recipe, and you gotta' love that! Give them a try and surprise your friends and family. I'm going to serve them with a side of vanilla ice cream next time. So yum!

Recipe here:)   And here is the video on how to make them. 

 

Tastiest Treat

Whenever I find a delicious, healthy-ish, easy-to-prepare, kid-friendly treat, I share it. This wonderful, vegan chocolate pudding with coconut whipped cream is a little bomb of happiness. It's more than kid-friendly, it's mom-friendly. My advice? Hide half the batch for yourself. Seriously, this coconut cream is my new favorite thing. I think it tastes waayyy better than the real thing, is so much easier to make, and no dairy. 

Easy, Dairy-free Chocolate Pudding with Coconut Whipped Cream 

Chocolate Pudding:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups Almond Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend (or the dairy-free milk of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 Tablespoons vegan butter (optional)

Whipped Coconut Cream:

• 1 can full fat coconut milk (that has been chilled for two days)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly whisk in almond milk. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the pudding begins to thicken and comes to a bubble. Whisk in butter. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap or put in jars. To avoid getting a “skin”, touch the plastic wrap to the surface. Refrigerate until cold.
2. To make whipped coconut cream: Chill bowl and beaters. Open coconut milk upside down, the liquid will be on the top and the fat will be at the bottom. Pour out the liquid and save for another use. Scoop the cream out and add to the chilled bowl. Whip with electric beaters. Add sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip until light and fluffy.
3. Serve the chocolate pudding with a scoop of whipped coconut cream and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Find this recipe, more photos, and other great recipes here: http://bakedbree.com/vegan-chocolate-pudding-with-whipped-coconut-cream

The Only Resolution I Need

Happy New Year everyone, I am so excited about 2015! I feel it will be a breakthrough year in many ways, both personal and on a global front. I am personally excited about this year because I only have one resolution, and I know I can do it.

It is: To be more positive. 

I know that sounds a little simplistic, but as we know, it is hard to do!!! It is far easier to be negative, and I see this all around me every day, people defaulting to anger, annoyance, even rage. I truly believe that this universe is one of energy, we are all energy, pulsing away on a molecular level, and the physics as we know them state that "like attracts like". There are serious, scientific studies that show how vibrations react to other vibrations, and believe me, it all adds up to the fact that how you think DOES matter. The mind is an incredibly powerful tool, and can be used to heal injury and illness. I am going to start healing myself this year, and try to find joy in EVERYTHING. 

I know as well as anyone how impossible that seems, but I've been practicing for a couple of weeks now, and I'm ready to go. I have the usual "blocks" to happiness, believe me. I am parenting an almost-seventeen-year-old daughter for one thing, dealing with aging parent issues, and I'm officially going through menopause, darling, BUT...I am determined to find joy in it. Even menopause. I am not a Pollyanna, and I am not in denial. I am simply accepting what must be and I'm going to do everything I can to find the humor in all situations. Night sweats are kind of funny when you think about it! I mean come on, a middle aged woman doesn't have enough to deal with, she has to become some wierdly moist amphibian while she sleeps, too? Ha ha ha! Good one, Nature! 

I'm serious though, I really am going to try to manifest my supreme happiness this year. 2014 was a hard one, and looking back I may have made it harder by letting it get to me as much as I did. So, my new mind frame is more along these lines: Hello world! I love you! Let's have an amazing life together, starting right now! 

I read a quote recently (I can't remember who said it) that went like this: "Life begins at 40. Before that you are only doing research."  That means I'm only 8 years old, what a relief!  

An INCREDIBLE tool (I cannot overstate it's importance and all-around greatness) in maintaining my Joy of Life, is my newest favorite discovery: THE GREEN SMOOTHIE

I know I'm late to the green smoothie party, but better late than never, eh? I am not joking, the green smoothie is THE key to feeling amazing. And I mean AMAZING. The first sip of my morning smoothie makes my mouth tingle, my throat cry out for joy and my tummy smile. I finish the glass and I feel FULL, ENERGIZED and ready to go. No lie! These things are magical.

My husband, bless him, makes a pitcher full of green smoothies every morning and we drink it throughout the day, whenever we feel peckish. We have two small meals of protein (beans, quinoa, lentils, or tofu) at lunch and dinner, and some fruit and nuts for desert, and that's it most days. We have both lost weight, sculpted areas that have eluded sculpting for decades, and we are NEVER NEVER sick. Not a cold, not the flu, and not ONE flu shot. Drinking these power packed, refreshing smoothies improves our mood and our brain function too. And I get WAY more greens than I would by eating salad, plus there's no salad dressing, which I personally hate.

 Here is a link to the most delicious and nutritious smoothies that will cut your addiction to sugar and white flour and dairy and make you look and feel 20 years younger. I sound like an infomercial, but I swear it's just something that I want to tell the world about because it is so easy and works so well!!!

So here's to a joyful, healthy and absolutely GORGEOUS NEW YEAR!!!

XOXOXO Diane   ps: Here is a link to some very good advice, that follows my thoughts exactly! :)

No-Bake Almond Joy Granola Bars -- guilt free snacks for everyone!

It's time for another heart-healthy, fashion-friendly recipe!

I hate low blood sugar moments. For some reason I never (although at 48 years old you'd think I'd learn) recognize them for what they are, and for a minute or two, it suddenly feels as though the world is coming to an end. For a long painful moment I have that feeling of being totally overwhlemed and unable to handle what's in front of me....and then my stomach growls and I realize OH.That's right, DUH. I need to eat something. I'm ok, I'm great actually, the world is not coming to an end, I just need a banana. Or some almonds. Or a delicious, home-made, chemical-free, organic, vegan, tasty treat!!!

Well folks, here is a recipe to knock your low blood sugar socks right off. This bar is so good I'm shocked. I mean I love nuts and oats and agave and coconut...but I can understand how those used to eating sugar and dairy and other kinds of not-quite-so-healthy foods wouldn't love them. But I swear, everyone will love these bars. So sweet, so lip-smackingly delicious and satisfying, I'm willing to bet even the most die-hard Snickers enthusiasts will give these bars a thumbs up. They are exactly the snack I need in the late morning or afternoon, or maybe as a late night dessert. There is no sugar in these babies, but you won't even miss it. Enjoy!  xoxoxo DR

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 cup rice crisp cereal
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup roasted almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut nectar syrup (or brown rice syrup - the original recipe says not to use any other liquid sweetner because it won't be sticky enough to bind the bars, but I used agave syrup and kept the bars in the freezer and they were AMAZING.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of fine grain sea salt to taste
• 1.5 tablespoons non-dairy mini chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand, optional. I did not use any chocolate chips, but added raisins instead, and it was DELICIOUS!)

Directions:

1. Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way so it's easy to lift out.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, rice crisp cereal, sliced almonds, coconut, and chia seeds.
3. In a medium pot over low heat, melt the coconut oil. Remove from heat and stir in the almond butter, coconut nectar, and vanilla, until smooth.
4. Pour wet mixture over dry and stir well until thoroughly combined. Add a pinch of salt to taste and stir again.
5. Spoon mixture into the pan and roughly spread out (but don't pack down yet). Sprinkle on the chocolate chips in an even layer. Wet hands lightly and then press down the mixture until even. Use a pastry roller to roll it out and pack it in even more.
6. Transfer pan to the freezer for about 10 minutes until firm. Slice into bars, wrap, and store in the fridge or freezer. These bars fall apart easily so I don't recommend leaving them at room temperature for longer than a few minutes.

Nutritional info: (based on 14 servings, per bar with chocolate chips): 193 cals, 12.6 grams fat, 16.5 grams carbs, 3.5 grams fibre, 5.8 grams sugar, 5 grams protein.

 Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/05/23/no-bake-almond-joy-granola-bars/#ixzz3DQQvawAg

 

Early Bird Special

One thing I love about getting older is that now I can finally embrace the early bird inside me. No longer do I have to stay up late to be cool, and no longer do I have to get up late to recover from staying up late the night before. No, I have finally come into my own and joined the ranks of my middle-aged peeps! The Early Birds. 

When I party now I party early. 4pm is a great time to have a drink and a nosh, as my mother would say in the 1970's. If you party at 4pm you can be done by 7:30 and still catch "Antiques Roadshow" at 8pm. Woot! 

Forget Saturday night, its all about Saturday late afternoon at my house. The nabes came over this past Saturday afternoon at 4pm, and we were ready for them. A series of summer ales were lined up to be tasted and rated. We swished, swirled, smelled and sipped some delicious, hoppy, malted beers and washed them down with french bread and homemade hummus. It was a great time, and some great hummus too. I never knew it was so easy to make hummus, and now I'm obsessed. It's such a flavorful, filling snack with no dairy, no meat, no sugar, no additives of any kind. And if you make your own no plastic packaging either! Here's the recipe. Oh, and the winning beer of the night? Breakside IPA. Now that's an early bird special!!! 

Black Olive Garlic Hummus

2 c canned chickpeas, drained and 2T liquid reserved

3 garlic cloves

1/3 c tahini

6 T lemon juice

1/2 t salt

6-8 black olives

pulse garlic cloves in food processor until minced. Add all ingredients (including the 2T reserved chickpea juice ) except the olives and blend until smooth. Then add olives and pulse till they are chopped up within mixture. Voila! Serve in a cute bowl with chips, bread or veggies. 

 

Healthy Autumn Fare

It's that time of year when I just want to bake, and cook, and make the kitchen smell wonderful! But seeing as how the holidays are right around the corner, I don't want to make food that is too rich or caloric or unhealthy. I want to feel great this fall, and reflect that vitality in what I eat. That way when the holidays do arrive, I'm coming at them with energy and enthusiasm!

One of the nicest dishes I've prepared in the last week is this one:

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND WINE SAUCE

What I love about it? It's easy, delicious, and healthy! It's simple ingredients are flavoured with wine and balsamic vinegar so the taste is sophisticated, and the content is filling, but it's all good for you and won't leave you feeling too heavy. Fall's table is an abundance of delicious root vegetables and greens, stay tuned for more healthy pre-holiday recipes! 

FOR POLENTA:

6 c water

2 c cornmeal or polenta

1 c nondairy milk (soy, rice, almond, hemp or oat)

1 tablespoon nondairy butter such as Earth Balance

1/4 c yeast flakes

1 tsp salt, or to taste

2 tablesoooons minced fresh basil

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

black pepper, to taste

 

FOR MUSHROOMS:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms such as porcini, oyster, chanterlle, lobster, cremini, and shitake, cleaned and chopped or sliced

1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce

2 to 5 tablespons red wine, for deglazing

3 to 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons nondairy butter

 

DIRECTIONS:

To make the polenta, heat the water to a boil. Once the water has boiled slowly add cornmeal and stir frequently over low to medium heat being careful not to let it boil over. Slowly add milk, and stir until the liquid is absorbed and the polenta thickens, about five minutes. 

Remove from heat and add butter, nutrional yeast, salt and herbs. Season with pepper. Set mixture aside while preparing mushrooms.

For mushrooms, in a large-size saute pan, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until they begin to get limp. Don't cook them too long or they'll become rubbery and lose their flavor. Sprinkle with tamari and transfer to a bowl or plate.

Combine red wine and vinegar in the same saute pan. Stir in butter, taste for seasoning, and remove from heat.

To serve, place a few spoonfuls of creamy plenta in an individual bowl, top with mushrooms, and drizzle with wine sauce. Top with chopped parsley, if desired and serve!  Bon appetit!!!

Makes 4-6 servings

(Faye is hoping to share!  xoxox )

 

Salad Days

I love my leafy greens, but I must admit I've been looking for new ways to prepare them. As the season ripens, so does my appetite for more flavor, so I tried this recipe the other day, and FELL IN LOVE. 

Note: I traded out the bacon for fake bacon which was light, smokey, and HEALTHY. I mean, what's the point or eating spinach if you cover it in real bacon? I like the Smart Bacon product for crumbling into salads and scrambles, and for BLT's! 

Power-Packed and Fashion-Friendly Breakfast

Ok, I just made these totally healthy PANCAKES FROM THE GODS, and I feel like a million bucks!

I will not lie -- I adore pancakes and syrup. Not the white flour, cakey, gut-bombs they serve at IHOP drowned in Aunt Jemima, No way, those kind make me feel actuely ill.

No,I'm talkin' 'bout the hearty, buckwheat, oat and organic blueberry kind, the kind of pancake that is only made with ingredients that nourish you and that have a little tooth to them so they fill you up with goodness! Serve them with almond butter and bananas, or my favorite -- a splash of the real maple syrup, the kind that comes out of trees!

These hearty humdingers will fill you up for breakfast AND lumch, with nothing but good fiber, anti-oxidents, and omega 3's so go ahead and eat the whole plate, it only makes four. A heart-friendly, anti-cancer, fill-you-up-with-energy, delicious way to start your day! xoxoxo

 

 

Frozen Joy

Need a chocolate fix, but don't want the fat? I made these the other day for my daughter Cora and fell in love with them myself. The recipe is for freezing it in pop-form, which is delicious, but my favorite is the chilled custard version...DELISH!!! No dairy in these!

RECIPE: 1 c sugar, OR 1/2 c maple syrup and 1/4 c agave syrup -- 3/4 c cornstarch ---1/4 t salt -- 4 cups soy milk or rice milk or almond milk - 4 tablespoons earth balance "butter" -- 2 tsp vanilla -- 3/4 c mini marshmallows (vegan if you prefer) 

-- In a sauce pan combine sugar or syrups , cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Add milk and bring ot a boil over medium stirring constantly for five to seven minutes. Remove from heat as soon it thickens. Stir in the butter until melted. Add the vanilla, refrigerate for ten minutes until cool but not thickened. Stir in the marshmallows. Pour into pop molds, or ramekins for custard. Freeze pops for at least 8 hours, or chill custard in the fridge for two hours. Heaven.

Spring Flavor, Spring Freshness!

In celebration of Earth Day, here is a deliciously healthy, plant-based recipe for you and your family to enjoy.

The perfect spring and summer dish that will surely wow 'em at a pot luck...it's a man-pleaser, too!

(and a teen-pleaser, my super-picky teenage daughter can't get enough of 'em!)

FAKE CHICKEN SALAD ROLL-UPS

2 cups chopped fake chicken ( Gardein Chikn Scallopinis are my favorite )
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup creamy poppy seed dressing
1/2 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
2 flour tortillas
6 leaves Bibb lettuce (or butter lettuce)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

In food processor, or hand-dice, to mix chicken, onions and walnuts. Add 1/3 cup of poppy seed dressing, process only until mixed.
In small bowl, mix remaining dressing and the cream cheese, spread with spoon until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over entire surface of tortillas. Remove white rib from the lettuce leaves. Press lettuce into the cream cheese, tearing to fit, and leaving top two inches of tortillas uncovered. Spread chicken mixture over lettuce. Sprinkle strawberries over chicken.

Firmly roll up tortillas, beginning at bottom. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour. Trim ends of each roll. Cut rolls into 1/2-3/4 inch slices. Arrange on plate and serve! YUM!

The Freshest Sandwich in Town

We're trying to keep to a mainly plant-based diet these days, because all the science says it's the best way to avoid disease, and feel great (and look great too!). So, in keeping with that focus, I am THRILLED to have found what I call the "Tu-no Salad Sandwich", which gives me the fresh, savory taste of a tuna salad sandwich, without any meat. Healthy, sustainable, low-cal, delicious and filling, this sandwich is a great way to get your veggies!  Enjoy!

 

"Tu-no Salad Sandwich"

Makes 3 or 4 sandwiches

2 cups peeled, finely shredded parsnips

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1/4 small red or white onion, finely diced

1 lemon

1/4 c vegan mayonaise (we LOVE the brand "Nayonaise", but there are other great options, too!)

1/2 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish

1 tsp coarse (large flake) nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp salt

bread of your choice

In a large bowl, combine the parsnip, celery and onion. Zest, then halve the lemon. Add the lemon zest and juice from on ehalf to the parsnip mixture, along with the mayonnaise, relish, yeast, and salt, stirring to comine. Spread on a slice of bread, top with another slice and serve! Or, use only one piece of bread and serve as an open face with a fresh slice of tomato on top!

Delicious!

recipe from the book "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.  :)

 

Melange is on Tumblr!!!

Ooooh, it's already a fabulous day! We have started up our own little Tumblr blog, and you are invited to view it, experience it, and follow it!

On Tumblr we'll be regularly posting photos of fashion of course, both our own and that from the world at large, sharing inspirational stories, quotes, recipes and ideas, and continuing on in our search for the perfectly curated, fabulous lifestyle! 

Laissez les bons temps rouler! (cue champagne!)  xo DR

Oh, Things Just Keep Gettin' Better!

Ladies and Gents, do yourself a fabulous fashion favor and rewatch episodes 1, 2, and 3 of the makeover show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"!

This show more than stands the test of time, it is CHOCK FULL of great information for anyone wanting to take their lifestyle to the next level. Gay, straight, man or woman, the fab 5 can teach anyone great skills in home decor, personal grooming, food preparation and presentation, music and FASHION!!!  So fun, and hilarious, the guys never stop cracking me up. This show is so great, it's positively therapeutic to watch!

So take a break (you deserve it!), mix a margherita, and hang out for an hour or two with the wonderful guys from the fab 5!  xoDR

 

frozen delight...

I'm posting this for the main purpose of sharing with a very preggo, LV... I almost just "IM-ed" it to her as I do so many things, but this looked so yummy {and easy!} I thought it be best to share with all of you!

mmmm.... I love ice cream. :)  this is Pioneer Woman's chocolate almond frozen mousse.  Warning: this will not help you fit into skinny jeans... but it will help you sink into the sofa with a big ole' smile on your face.  3 ingredients, that's it! -for real.  And if you have not yet discovered PW, I suggest you go there now and get lost on her frontier for a bit.  signed, me {CA}

Northwest Favorite...

I think even more than not having to pump my own gas in the rainy season, my absolute favorite part about living in Oregon is crab season!  It just started here and my mouth is already watering.  After work I'm off to buy some dungeness at the Fisherman's Market...$3.50 a pound!  And tomorrow I'm making crab cakes for Ryan and some friends. After living here for 3+ years I've perfected my cakes (one key is to refrigerate them for just a bit before frying them in the saucepan, that way they don't fall apart!)  And the yummiest way to serve them is on a spinach salad with fresh mango salsa... much like this recipe from Emeril.  Yummmm.  Now the only question that still remains is whether or not it is safe for me, miss preggers, to actually eat the crab.  But after much surfing and book reading, I've decided that if it is thoroughly cooked and in moderation, it is ok for me and baby.  Any of you experienced mommas have any input on that?  signed, me {CA}

I might just Ebelskiver myself out of my dress....

   See this cute little pan.  This cute little pan might be the end of my wardrobe as I know it.  This little darling is an Ebelskiver pan.  Ebelskivers, for those of you NOT in the Danish know, are this little balls of delicious goodness that are like the combo of pancakes+danish+donut.  In short, they are good...real good.  Well, I thought I would buy myself my very own Ebelskiver pan so I can make these for Christmas.  I found a bunch on Amazon, and now hold one in my hot little hands.  I just looked up the recipe, thinking I could make these little orbs of goodness tonight for "breakfast for dinner" night.  The recipes looks like this.....5 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspons salt, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 3 1/2 cups milk, 6 eggs....oh, and 1 1/2 cups HALF & HALF.  They were looking healthy right up to the very end weren't they?   I better wear my clothes quick while I can still fit into them :-).  Signed, ME {lv}

Yummy AND pretty cake!

My sister's birthday party is tomorrow and I'm making this gorgeous strawberry cake.  Hope it looks this pretty!!!  Recipe is below!  Signed, ME {lv}

 

   

 

Southern Style Strawberry Cake

     from: Sweets

1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix (without pudding)

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry jello

1 Tablespoon self rising flour

4 teaspoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  

To make the cake, combine to cake mix, Jello, flour and sugar in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Add the oil.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition  Add the water and strawberries and mix well.  Divide the batter evenly into 2 8-inch round baking pans that have been oiled and floured.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the layers pull away from the sides of the pan.  

Transfer the layers from the oven to wire racks.  Let them cool, still in their pans, for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, run a knife around the inside edge of each pan, then unmold each layer onto the racks to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 

2 (1 pound) boxes powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

pink food coloring

4 sliced strawberries

To make the frosting, in a bowl combine the cream cheese and butter.  Beat until soft and pliable and no lumps remain.  Add one box of the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Beat until incorporated.  Add the second box of sugar and mix until incorporated.  If you would like a smoother consistency, and a slash of milk.  If you would like a thicker consistency, and a bit more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved.

Put the coconut in a small bowl and sprinkle with two or three drops of pink die.  Mix with hands to distribute the color and wash hands immediately.  Once the cake is frosted, decorate the top of the cake with the shredded coconut and sliced strawberries. Enjoy!  Happy Strawberry Summer!

French Macarons....

I've recently acquired an obsession with French macarons....I'm not sure if it so much the taste (although they are tasty no doubt), but the color is what always draws me in.  When during a search to find these tempting little morsels I came across this blog site which is cool....www.colourlovers.com .  Ever thought, "color so beautiful you want to eat it?"  Signed, ME {lv}

deceptive in a good way

Over Christmas, my Mom and I spent a lot of time talking about nutrition and how kids can be really picky eaters.  I, myself, didn't like much when I was a kid and especially hated salad... well really, I didn't dig on many veggies at all.  But my Mom always insisted on at least trying them and didn't let me get away without eating the portion on my plate, and certainly stayed away from the game of take "X" more bites and then you're done.  But, I doubt that it was very much fun for her or me.  We noticed eating habits of the little ones in our family... and I was thinking that there had to be some better way to get veggies in their diet without going through the hassle of trying to get your picky eater to try something new, let alone GREEN!  I saw Jessica Seinfeld featured on some morning show... with her cookbook, Deceptively Delicious which is an ingenious way of sneaking in veggies to many kid-friendly recipes by using purees.  Now, I totally bought this with the intention of passing it along to LV, as my husband pointed out that we have no need to hide our veggies in our house right now... but I had to test out a few recipes first! Here are my yellow cupcakes...

chocked full of pumpkin puree and a cream cheese frosting!  An instant improvement on plain yellow cake because now it's a source of important antioxidants, beta-carotene and calcium!  I love that!  The book is full of other mother's wisdom, time-saving tips, and of course nutritional info. A great gift to pass along... you'll get it eventually LV!  ;)  signed, me {CA} 

Agave--give it a try!

I've read about Agave in magazines...it is often mentioned when celebs talk about their "special" diets etc.  I actually didn't even really realize what it was, but I noticed it at the market last week and bought some on a whim.  Turns out it is the nectar of a cactus, and resembles honey but the taste is different, milder, not as strong and mild.  I really like it, better than honey for sure.  I think the reason it goes on special diets is that it doesn't raise your blood sugar like sugar or honey (apparently).  Not really sure about the details of why it might be healthier, but I do know the taste is really nice and I'm sort of addicted to it mixed into my mint tea!  Something to try.....  Signed, ME {lv}

a quick gourmet meal

I am always in search of fabulous meals that don't take hours to prepare, cause let's face it after a full day at work who wants to go home and cook for 2 hours... but what I DO want is something that tastes yummy.  Last night I found a keeper!  It's in the October issue of Real Simple, I think the title was roasted Pacific cod with lemon and olives.  I chose halibut instead of cod but this is the run down for the recipe...

Place a 2 lbs cod (or halibut... and I did 1.5lbs) fillet in a heavy pan (I used our brand new iron skillet :)

pour in 3/4 cup dry white wine (should come half-way up the side of the fillet) and a tblsp of olive oil

place 1/2 cup of mixed olives and the zest of one lemon around the fish (zest should be in strips)

season fish with a tsp of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper and 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes

roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile I made some couscous and an avacado/tomato salad to accompany it.... dish up the fish, pour the sauce on top and sprinkle with some flat-leaf parsley.  All together it took about a half an hour and it truly was delicious!  I like to call it cooking in style.  ;)  signed, me {ca}