Watermelon-Chia Cooler

If the last two days are any indication of how hot it will be this summer, we're in trouble!  But I've been staying cool and hydrated drinking my refreshing Watermelon-Chia Cooler.

You can use any melon, but I like the natural sweetness and color of seedless watermelon.  Also chia seeds pack a powerful punch.  They are high in Omega 3s, protein, fiber and are hydrating.  I soak one tablespoon in one cup of filtered water in the fridge overnight and then use them in my juices and smoothies for added nutrition during the week.  To get the full benefit of chia seeds you really need to soak them before using.

Ingredients:
Serves 1-2

1-1/2 - 2 cups organic seedless watermelon, chilled, cut into cubes
1-tbsp soaked chia seeds (You can add as much as you like, but they are very gelatinous and will thicken the consistency.  Also, I like using black colored chia seeds instead of the grey.  There is no difference in nutritional value between the two.)
1 tbsp finely chopped mint
1/4 - 1/2 cup sparkling water, chilled
Juice from a 1/2 lime
Agave nectar to taste (my watermelon was really sweet and so I didn't add any agave)

Method:  Soak 1 tbsp chia seeds overnight, covered in the fridge.  (Note:  one tablespoon will turn into 1/2 cup soaked seeds.)  Place watermelon in a blender and blend until smooth.  Transfer puree to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients.  Chill until cold and serve with a mint sprig.

Stay cool and enjoy!  



 

Strawberry Shortcake...or a Parfait Please!

YAY...strawberries are here!  There is nothing better than biting into a fresh, juicy, organic strawberry...except for maybe strawberry shortcake!  Strawberries are just perfect on their own this time of year, but strawberry shortcake screams the start of summer and it's supposed to be 90 here this week!  The strawberries are definitely the main attraction, but the supporting cast is just as important.  I adapted a recipe from Cook's Illustrated by using flaxmeal for the binder, cashew milk, and added fresh lemon zest (totally makes a big difference) and vanilla extract.  If I would of had a fresh vanilla bean, I would of scrapped some of the seeds into the batter...that would of just taken the recipe over the top!

Even though the shortcakes did not rise as high as I wanted, they were still delicious with a crunchy exterior and a moist and fluffy interior--and oh the lemon zest was divine!  I had thought about using Energ Egg Replacer, but feel that this is best used when making cookies or crispier baked goods.  The flaxmeal provided the perfect moisture to the cakes and I loved the little flecks of flax throughout...not to mention the added bonus of Omega 3s!  And of course if they don't rise as high as you like...then just make a parfait and your family or guests will think they've gone to strawberry heaven!

While making the dough, I experimented with using a food processor or using the hand method and both biscuits came out the same.  So if you have a food processor then by all means use it but just make sure that you pulse the ingredients instead of letting the machine run.  I also baked some of the biscuits off right after forming and also let several rest in the fridge for 30 minutes until they were chilled and both turned out the same as well.  My next experiment will be making these gluten-free using Bob's Red Mill A/P flour and adjusting the recipe accordingly.  Also in order to get more height on the biscuit I might try dropping the dough from a spoon onto a sheet pan instead of cutting them out with a cookie cutter.  If I do this then I will need to add more liquid to the dough and turn it into a thick batter.  This however, might change the texture and the texture was perfect.  Stay tuned...

This recipe makes about six-eight biscuits using a 2-3/4 cookie cutter.  For the strawberries I just purchased two pounds (organic) and reserved several strawberries aside for the top, and then divided up the rest by slicing some and dicing and mashing the others in separate bowls.  I then added some sugar to each bowl, about 2 TBSP each and then let the fruit macerate for about 30 minutes to release the juices and to soften.   Depending on how sweet your strawberries are you may need to add less or more sugar...taste them first!  For the whipped cream I used SOYATOO! Whipped Rice Topping.

Shortcake Dough Recipe:

2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour
5 TBSP organic unbleached cane sugar (3 for the dough, 2 for the topping)
1 TBSP aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 TBSP Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (cut into 16 pieces and chilled)
1 Flax egg (1 TBSP ground flax meal and 3 TBSP warm filtered water, whisked)
1/2 cup cashew milk (1/4 cup soaked cashews, drained and blended with 1/2 cup filtered water), or you can use any dairy free milk product.
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp organic lemon zest

Method:

• Preheat oven to 425 and position rack in the middle of the oven.
• In a bowl whisk together flour, 3 TBSP cane sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Using a pastry cutter add chilled butter and cut through the flour until the butter is the size of peas.
• In a measuring cup whisk together milk, flax egg, vanilla extract and lemon zest.
• Create a well in the flour mixture and add wet ingredients.  Using a large fork mix ingredients until just combined and then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat ingredients into a 9x6 rectangle, 3/4" thick.  
• Cut six biscuits out of the dough and reform scraps and cut an additional two biscuits.
• Place biscuits on a sheet tray covered with parchment paper and brush the tops with cashew milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Bake in the oven until the tops are golden brown about 12-14 minutes, turning half way through.
• Remove from the oven and transfer biscuits to a cooling rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before cutting. 

My husband told me that I definitely have to stop baking sweets--he's trying to cut back on gluten...so it looks like something gluten-free and most likely sweet is in my near future!  Hope you enjoy!   

  

Kelp Noodle Salad with Spicy Curry Dressing

I remember watching a cooking demonstration at a grocery store once and the demonstrator added fresh kelp noodles to a stir-fry and I almost screamed out...NOOOOO!  How can you take something so fresh, crunchy and full of interest and turn in into a flat, soggy mess?  Well they did...so I grabbed my bag of kelp noodles and went home to create this fresh, and vibrant dish with lots of flavor and texture.   

I used Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles brand and yes, even on the back of their package they recommend you can also use them for a stir-fry, in addition to salads.  Folks, I wouldn't recommend it.  I don't even dress this salad prior to serving and always serve the dressing on the side.  It makes a big difference.  Unlike other sea vegetables such as wakame, arame, dulse, nori, and kombu, kelp noodles have a very neutral flavor and do not taste like the ocean.  So you can pretty much pair them with any sauce.  The best part, all sea vegetables are full of trace minerals, especially iodine, which is an important mineral you should incorporate into your diet if you are vegan.

When you remove the kelp from the bag, give it a good rinse under cold water and drain well.  I then cut the noodles in half just because it's easier to toss with the veggies, but you can leave them long.  For the veggies I used:  thinly sliced carrots, red bell pepper, cucumber, cabbage, green onion and cilantro.  I also added diced baked tofu for protein and raw chopped almonds for crunch.  Bok choy would be a great addition to this salad, as well as diced mango.   

For the dressing, I really didn't measure the ingredients--just threw everything in the blender, except for the oil and then added the oil slowly until emulsified. 

Spicy Curry Dressing
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1-2 tsp Sambal Oelek (depending of how much heat you like)
1-2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp agave or maple syrup
2 tbsp almond butter  
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (for a raw version use Nama Shoyu)
1/4 cup coconut milk
Juice of 1 small lime
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup safflower oil

 
 

The Pink Lady

Sweet, tart, refreshing and beautiful...this juice has it all.  Plus it's bursting with Vitamin C and Antioxidants!  I like drinking this juice in the late afternoon when my body needs the perfect pick-me-up...keeps me going until dinner!

I used Pink Lady apples, but Fuji or any pink or red skinned apple will do.  I also used Ruby Red Grapefruit (the redder the better) so that it tones down the bitterness of the grapefruit.  If you can't find a ruby or pink grapefruit then just add a little more apple for sweetness.  This would be great shaken or stirred over ice as a refreshing "mock-tail".  It's been really warm here this week and this has been the prefect afternoon drink!

The Pink Lady
1-1/2 - 2 Pink Lady Apples (depending on sweetness of the grapefruit)
1 medium sized Ruby Red Grapefruit
1/4 or 1/2 Fennel Bulb (depending on size)
2 1/4" slices of red beet

Juice and enjoy chilled or served over ice!

  

Chai Spiced Smoothie

I love the flavor of Chai Spice, but caffeine not so much.  Actually, I haven't drank coffee or caffeinated tea in over 30 years.  Whenever I would consume caffeine, I felt like I wanted to jump out of my skin and no matter how early in the day I would drink it--I'd be up all night.  So this smoothie tastes like a Chai Latte, but without the caffeine kick.  If you want it caffeinated, then I would steep whole spices (cardamon pods, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and fresh ginger) with a good quality black tea, strain the tea and chill it in the fridge and then add a 1/4 cup of the flavored tea to the smoothie and blend. 

In a small bowl mix the following ingredients together:

• 1 tsp Cardamon
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Allspice
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg

Start off by adding 1-2 teaspoons of spice mixture to the smoothie.  You can always add more if you want more spice.  Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 small seedless orange (optional, but I love the flavor combination of cardamon and orange)
• 1 medium banana
• 1/2 cup crushed ice

For protein add vanilla or plain brown rice protein powder, soaked white chia seeds or hemp seeds!

Raw Sprouted Almond Milk

The first time I made homemade almond milk I did not have a nut milk bag and I used a fine mesh strainer and it was a disaster!  It was so thick and grainy that it was like eating porridge.  Actually I don't think I owned my Vitamix at that time and I used a regular blender as well--two big mistakes.  And to top it off I served it with oatmeal...what a mess!  I don't think that my husband really ever recovered from that breakfast and so we have been buying almond milk ever since.

So since I have been fasting and eating (well drinking) really healthy I decided to make my own.  Have you ever read the side of the box of Almond Milk?  If not, here you go:  Filtered Water, Almonds, Calcium Carbonate, Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Potassium Citrate, Carrageenan, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Vitamin A, Palmitate, Vitamin D2 and D-Alpha Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E)...what?  The two ingredients that concern me the most are the Carrageenan and Palmitate.  Carrageenan is a preservative that has been linked to colitis and tumor production in animal studies :-(...Animal studies bum me out)...and, Palmitate is used to add texture to processed foods and is linked to the risk of developing heart disease.  You would probably need to consume an incredible amount of these compounds on a daily basis to be adversely affected, but do we really need all of this stuff in our food?

Now, take a look at the ingredients for homemade almond milk:  1 cup organic raw almonds (sprouted), 3 cups filtered water, 2 pitted dates, 1/4 vanilla bean pod (seeds only), or 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt (optional).  That's it and you can really taste the difference!

To sprout the almonds, I soaked them in filtered water in the fridge for three days, changing the water twice daily (morning and evening).  And to keep it raw, I soaked the dates in water overnight as well so they were soft for blending.  Also while blending, the Vitamix can really heat liquids up if you leave it running for several minutes, so I blended for a minute, turned it off and blended it again to make sure that I stayed below 105 degrees.  This recipe makes about 3 cups of milk.  I wouldn't say that it's cheaper making it yourself, but it is definitely better for you and tastes great too!  Can't wait for my husband to try it in his cereal...I know I will be redeemed!

 

 

Raw Carob-Strawberry Hemp Smoothie

This smoothie is so yummy and with good for you ingredients that I really didn't know what to call it...how about Yummy & Good For You Smoothie!  I don't like smoothies made with fruit, but sometimes in the afternoon around 3-4pm, I seriously need a pick-me up...especially since this is day 19 of my juice fast.

This smoothie isn't sweet at all...it is fruity but not very sweet tasting.  I prefer carob powder over cocoa powder, but a lot of people don't like carob because they are expecting it to taste like chocolate.  Carob is similar to cocoa, but it is naturally sweeter, fruitier, contains less fat and has no caffeine.  I find cocoa powder more bitter and so I always need to add additional sweeteners.  But if carob is not for you then by all means use raw cocoa powder instead.  However, you may need to add more strawberries or dates if you want a sweeter smoothie.

And what makes this smoothie really good for you is the raw hemp seeds...packed with five grams of protein per tablespoon.  And not just any old protein, but a complete protein with all the essential fatty acids, as well as vitamin E, and Omegas 3 and 6!

So pull out the blender and whip yourself up this delicious and nutritious smoothie for an afternoon pick me up...and guaranteed the kids will love it too!

Yummy & Good For You Smoothie

1 cup organic raw almond milk (I make my own and I'll post the recipe tomorrow)
1 small organic banana
2 organic strawberries
1-2 tbsp organic raw carob powder (I used two), or raw cocoa powder
2 tbsp organic raw hemp seeds
1/2 cup ice

 

The Perfect Start...to a Perfect Day!

So I thought that I would post something really healthy since it is the beginning of the New Year and we all are trying to keep our resolutions to eat healthy.  Actually, I really don't have any resolutions when it comes to food or diet.  Maybe I could be a little more patient, procrastinate less, or take time to smell the tulips more often, but pretty much everyday I have a healthy juice, or a smoothie and some days this is all that I drink!

I have never been able to go on a juice fast for more than 24 hours.  However, I do try to eliminate all solid food from my diet at least several of times a month.  I pick a Wednesday and drink only fresh vegetable juices and smoothies throughout the day, along with filtered water and herbal tea.   If you drink only pure vegetable juice then you are eliminating fiber from your diet and so I try to drink both while on my 24 hour cleanse.  Plus the smoothies keep you fuller longer. 

Here's a typical day:  6am (Herbal Tea with Lemon), 7am (Healthy Green Juice), 8am-11am (Herbal Tea and Water), 11am (Green Protein Power Smoothie) 12-2pm (Herbal Tea and Water), 2pm (Green Juice, Beet Blast or Crazy Carrot Juice), 3-5pm (Herbal Tea and Water) 6pm (Tropical Thunder Protein Smoothie), 7-9pm (Herbal Tea and Water).

The following day I wake up feeling refreshed, lighter and energized.  Perhaps just giving your digestive track a break from having to work so hard gives your body a needed lift.  I'm not a nutritionist and long-term fasting is not for me, but I do believe that I benefit from drinking fresh vegetable juice daily and following a 24 hour cleanse.  

I like experimenting and throwing a bunch of veggies in a juicer or blender and tasting the outcome.  Some come out horrible tasting but most are quite delicious.  Here are a few of my favorite drinks--just please make sure that you use all organic ingredients--you don't want to drink pesticides!

• Healthy Green Juice--My Morning Cocktail
• High Antioxidant Green Smoothie
• Beet Blast:  1 medium beet, 2 medium carrots, 1 green apple, 1 small English cucumber, 1" piece fresh ginger root, juice from 1/2 lemon
• Crazy Carrot:  1 large orange peeled, 2 large carrots, 1/4 cup pineapple, 1" piece fresh ginger root, 1/4 tsp turmeric, juice from 1/2 lemon
• Green Protein Power Smoothie:  1 cup almond milk, 1 medium banana, 2 tbsp almond butter, 2 tbsp Warrior Force-Extreme Chocolate Plus Protein Powder, ice if banana isn't frozen
• Tropical Thunder Power Smoothie:  1 cup coconut water, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/4 cup frozen pineapple, 2 tbsp soaked chia seeds.

What Supplements to Add:

When drinking pure juice, I usually do not add any supplements, other than a 1 tsp of flax oil.  Or after juicing I will add the juice to the blender, add a 1/2 avocado or 2 tbsp hemp seeds and blend.  This adds fiber and protein to the juice and also gives it a creamy consistency.  

When drinking smoothies I add different supplements.  My favorite supplements are by Health Force Nutritionals.  I use their Warrior Food Protein Powder, VitaMineral Green, Earth, Maca, Vitamin C, and Spirulina.  All of their products are raw and I really like the taste--they do not taste gritty or gummy.  I pick and choose depending on what benefit I want.  I will also add soaked chia seeds or hemp seeds for protein/fiber and of course flaxmeal or flax oil.
     
Also, I prefer drinking juice over smoothies and green smoothies made with kale and mango over pure fruit smoothies.  I never drink smoothies made with strawberry or raspberry and prefer mango and peaches because they taste less sweet. To sweeten a smoothie I may also add soaked pitted dates, or pure maple syrup.  When making a green smoothie, the ratio of veggie to fruit should be 3:1.   

And of course, all of this is not possible without a good juicer and a high-speed blender.  I have a Breville Fountain Juicer and a VitaMix.  I use them daily.  It killed me to spend $400+ for a VitaMix and thought about owning one for years but it has been worth ever penny.  I use it every day and hardly ever pull out my food processor.

And one final note, I drink a shot of wheat grass daily, or try to at least a couple times per week.  I usually make my own during the summer but choose to buy it during the winter because it can get moldy because of moisture.  If you're interested in making your own this summer go to my link on "Growing Wheatgrass--My Liquid Sunshine"!  It's really fun to make...the taste not so much, but I do believe that it is good for me!

To your Health!
      

Raw Autumn Kale Salad

After three days of overindulging I felt that I needed to eat something healthy and so I made my Raw Autumn Kale Salad.  Super simple and full of nutrients...all the good stuff your body needs to keep healthy through the holidays!

You can add whatever ingredients you like, but I added chopped leafy kale, shredded green cabbage, julienned apples, dried cranberries and almonds.  I tossed the salad with a vinaigrette made of sour oranges, sherry vinegar, maple syrup, minced shallots and grapeseed oil.  Really delicious! 

Summer Melon Fruit Salad

Wow, it has been so long since my last post--four months to be exact!  I've just been really busy working.  I'm a chef at a vegan cafe and I love cooking and being around vegan food everyday!  I am really very fortunate that I get to do something that I love for a living!

Anyway, last year for the 4th of July I made an elaborate spread, but this year since I only have a few days off I wanted to keep it simple.  Hubby and I are just grilling some vegan dogs and I made this really delicious melon salad that I wanted to share with you.  

You can use any type of melons--just make sure that you add all the other ingredients to give it lots of crunch and plenty of spice.  I guarantee that if you take this to your next BBQ, or picnic that people will devour it in no time.  Plus it's really beautiful to look at!

For my salad I used a combination of:  cantaloupe, watermelon, jicama, English cucumber, white corn, jalapeno, mint, lime juice, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper.  Cilantro would be a good addition too.  Just so fresh--I could eat this everyday during the summer months! 

Until my next post--Happy 4th everyone!

 

Kale, Sunflower Sprout and Pepita Salad

I get on these salad kicks where I'll eat the same salad everyday for like a month or so.  I went through my tabbouleh salad stage, my mixed salad stage and now I can't get enough of this kale salad and it's so simple to make. 

I first tasted this salad last year at New Leaf Community Market in Half Moon Bay and knew that I had to make my own version.  You can change up the ingredients and add whatever type of sprouts, nuts/seeds or vinaigrette you like, but I love it just the way it is.  If you want the salad to be raw then don't toast the pumpkin seeds and use Nama Shoyu instead of Bragg's Liquid Aminos.  But the Bragg's gives it a really unique flavor and a little goes a long way!

There really is no recipe to this salad.  I just used raw dino/lacinato green kale and chopped it into small pieces, thinly sliced red onion, sunflower sprouts, toasted pumpkin seeds, the juice of 1 lemon, a couple splashes of Bragg Liquid Aminos, a slight drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Just a tip...to toast the pumpkin seeds, I always get the pan really hot first, remove it from the heat, add my pumpkin seeds and keep tossing them until they are golden brown.  I then drizzle in a 1/2 tsp olive oil, sea salt, stir to combine and let them cool completely on a plate.  Most people start with a cool pan and then toast their seeds over low heat.  This takes too long and so I always get distracted doing something else and end up burning the entire batch...live and learn.

Also, I purchase my sprouts from Whole Foods from a company called New Native, but I plan to start sprouting my own seeds and using them in my salads and sandwiches.

 

 

Pickled Beet Salad with Fennel-Orange Vinaigrette

Growing up my mom always had pickled beets in the back of the refrigerator.  Unfortunately she combined them with eggs in a large jar, but I avoided the eggs and went for the beets.  I always felt that it was a strange combination (pickled beets and eggs), but I guess it was her German upbringing. 

Lately, I can't get enough of beets.  I just love their earthly flavor and vibrant color and they go really well with fennel and orange.  Also, when you pickle them it gives them a nice tang, which compliments their earthiness and brings out their natural sweetness.  This salad is beautiful and can be served any time but is a really nice first course to serve to impress your dinner guests.  Normally, I would make this with both red and golden beets and alternate the beets on the plate, but the market only had red at the time.  Whatever color beets you use, it's still a beautiful salad and absolutely delicious!





     

Roasted Beet, Farro & Kale Salad

My father-in-law's name was Valentine but everyone called him Val for short.  I wonder if he was ever teased as a child for having such a unique name.  And I wonder if he knew that his name came from the Latin word Valentinus, derived from Valens, which means "strong and healthy".  

Most of us go though life without ever giving much consideration to our beating hearts, until one day we wake up with clogged arteries and need a triple by-pass.  But by eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, I know that I'm doing everything I can to diminish the possibility of getting heart disease later in life.  But that doesn't mean that on Valentine's Day I won't enjoy a glass of red wine, or a eat piece of dark chocolate because both contain flavonoids, which are considered to be "heart healthy".  But to balance it out, I'll definitely make sure to eat a healthy salad like my Roasted Beet, Farro & Kale Salad and go for a brisk walk.  Remember, Valentine's Day isn't just for that special person in your life--it's also for you and your "heart" and keeping it "strong and healthy"! 

Ingredients:

1 cup farro, cooked, rinsed and drained well
2 red beets, cooked until tender, peeled and diced
2 golden beets, cooked until tender, peeled and diced
1 fennel bulb, shaved thinly on a mandolin
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 cups thinly sliced kale leaves
1-2 tbsp minced basil leaves

Maple-Sherry Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp aged sherry vinegar
Juice of 1 orange
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chipotle powder (optional)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (more or less to taste)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Add sherry, orange juice, mustard, garlic and chipotle to a blender and blend on high until combined.
• Slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified and then blend in maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste.  
• Pour over salad to moisten--you may have extra vinaigrette left over.

 

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Saffron Couscous

We are having beautiful spring-like weather in the Bay Area--68 degrees today and 72 tomorrow and I have spring-fever big time!  Spring always reminds me of carrots and so I couldn't pass up getting a bunch of beautiful tri-color (purple, cream and orange) carrots at the market today.

With carrots this sweet and tender I didn't want to cook them and so I shaved them into thin ribbons and tossed them with a Moroccan Vinaigrette made with freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, cumin, coriander, paprika, ginger, garlic, cilantro and olive oil.  I then made a whole wheat couscous with saffron, dried apricots, almonds, pistachios, oil cured olives, preserved lemon and chickpeas.  So easy, fresh and delicious--perfect for a day like today!

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup with Ancho Pepitas

Butternut squash or any winter squash soup can taste really bland unless you combine it with certain ingredients that bring out its natural sweetness.  Some squash soups that I've ordered out in restaurants or from store bought containers almost taste like baby food--pure squash puree with no added flavors whatsoever.  This is great if your are introducing your baby to squash for the first time and you want to whip up a bland blended puree, but not so much for the paying customer.  Ingredients that I like to use with butternut are apples, oranges, ancho chilies, maple syrup and toasted nuts or seeds.  Also the consistency of the puree has to be velvety smooth--not to thin or not to thick.

When I worked for the restaurant we always had butternut squash soup on our banquet menu in winter and it was really good.  We would make 10 gallon batches of it for parties and it would be gone by the end of the evening.  Here's a photo of the soup ready for food runners to take out to guests.  You can't tell from the photo but there is at least 30 bowls in the window for pickup.  

I have been really trying to cut back on all processed oils in my diet since the new year.  The only oil I use is first-cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and I use it sparingly.  In this recipe I used 3 tsp and that was for roasting the butternut and apples--so this recipe is basically oil free and you can't even tell that the oil is missing!

Disclaimer:  I never measure for my recipes unless it's a difficult recipe or a new technique that I've never used before, or if I'm baking.  Everything that I make is by sight, smell and most importantly taste.  Therefore, if the soup is too thick then add additional vegetable stock--if it's too thin then reduce it down further.  If you want more kick to the recipe then add additional ancho chili powder.

Ingredients:

3 1/2-4 lbs butternut squash, washed, sliced in half, roasted
2 organic apples such as pink lady, fuji, or gala, sliced into 1/4" slices, roasted, about 2 cups (leave skin on)
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 cup Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider
8 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1-2 tsp ancho chili powder (more or less depending on taste)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 orange, squeezed
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Toasted ancho chili pepper pepitas for garnish

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Slice butternut squash in half and rub with 2 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven for about 30-35 minutes until tender and lightly golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Scoop out seeds, peel and dice into large chunks.  Set aside.
• Turn oven down to 350 degrees and toss apple slices in 1 tsp olive oil.  Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes until tender and lightly golden brown.  Remove from oven and set aside.
• In a large dutch oven or stock pot, add onion, garlic, thyme and apple cider.  Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until apple cider is reduced and onions are soft.
• Add squash, apples, vegetable stock, maple syrup, ancho chili powder to taste and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes for flavors to combine, adding salt and pepper to taste during cooking process.
• Puree mixture in several batches in a blender on high until smooth.  Return to pan and add freshly squeezed orange juice and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Garnish with toasted pepitas.  
• For the pepitas I used a 1/3 cup of raw pepitas, 3/4 tsp ancho chili powder, 1/4 tsp finely grated sea salt and 1/4 tsp olive oil.  Toast the pepitas first, then add to a bowl and then toss with olive oil and spices. 

"Drunken" Rum Balls

Just wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays!  My husband and I will be heading down to San Diego for a week and we're looking forward to warmer weather and spending time at the beach.  I'll be back in the New Year with really healthy and nutritious recipes that will definitely help shed all the unwanted excess from the past two months!  Until then, I wish you and yours a safe and wonderful holiday, wherever your travels take you.

The reason why I call these rum balls "drunken" is because if you were to eat more than one and drive and a police officer pulled you over--you would probably fail a breathalyzer.  So not advisable.  

Rum balls are usually made with finely ground vanilla wafers, but I made a small batch of vegan snickerdoodle cookies and used them for the base.  Other ingredients that I used were the usual...dark rum, toasted pecans, unsweetened cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, agave syrup (instead of corn syrup) and vanilla extract.  To garnish I rolled them in finely ground pistachios, powdered sugar and cocoa powder--but they are also good dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with toasted coconut!    

Moroccan Marinated Tofu with Fruity Couscous

I love North African, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.  The combination of flavors are amazing, especially when you mix several regions together to create a dish that is spicy, sweet, and tangy.  I know from my photo it's hard to see, but the tofu has been marinated and then threaded on wooden skewers, pan seared and then served over the couscous.  The plate I used has a lot of detail and makes it hard to see the food, but I love my Moroccan plates and use them whenever I can!
 

To marinate the tofu, I used extra firm tofu and pressed it for about an hour to remove any excess moisture.  I then made a marinade using ground cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, pimenton, saffron, fresh garlic, chopped marcona almonds, minced preserved lemons, sliced green olives, lemon juice, olive oil, vegetable stock and salt and pepper.  I then marinated the tofu for about an hour and then threaded it on skewers alternating it with sliced olives and then pan seared it until golden brown.

 

For the whole wheat couscous I used toasted pistachios, currants, ground sumac, fresh mint, fresh parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  I then made a sauce with the reserved marinade, adding additional vegetable stock to thin it and simmered it for a few minutes until the garlic was tender.  I then poured the sauce over the tofu, and garnished with additional mint....Just delicious!

Apple & Maple Tempeh Breakfast Patties

Frustrating...I woke up early and decided to make a nice weekend breakfast.  I have never made Apple & Maple Tempeh Breakfast Patties before and so I was measuring and writing down the recipe so that I could post it this evening.  Well, I had a bag of whole grain spelt four (for the pancakes) and a bag of vital wheat gluten (for the breakfast patties) right next to each other on the counter and I kind of lost track how much gluten I added to the patties.  I think that I added a cup, but I could of added some spelt by mistake.  Anyway, the patties had great flavor and texture, but I need to make them again next weekend before I post the recipe.  In the meantime if you're interested in making the whole grain pancakes, here's the recipe.  

Butternut Orecchiette Pasta with Sage Cream

Cashew cream...I love this stuff...all the pleasure of eating a creamy sauce without any guilt.  When we would serve cream-based pasta dishes at the restaurant I would dread having to continually taste the sauce because I knew that it was bad for me, but not with cashew cream.  This doesn't mean that you should consume it every day because it may contribute to a few pounds, but at least it won't cause high cholesterol and artery clogging heart disease.  Best thing about it though, you really can't tell the difference in terms of consistency and it actually tastes way better.  Another thing--to this day I still can't spell orecchiette--I always need to look it up in google!...:-)

You can use any pasta you like, but I prefer orecchiette (little ears in Italian) because the sauce pools within the pasta and you get a little sauce with every bite.  For an extra health benefit look for a whole wheat/grain version.  Also, you can use any type of squash that holds up well to roasting.

Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6)

1 lb orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, diced into 1" pieces (yields 4-6 cups depending on size--mine yielded 4 cups)
1 large leek, white and light parts only, diced, washed
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
2 tbsp minced fresh sage
1/2 cup white wine, or brandy (brandy and sage/cream is a match made in heaven, but I didn't have any and so I used Pinot Grigio)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (I used Whole Foods 360 Brand), plus more for thinning if necessary
1 1/2 cups cashew cream (see below)
1 cup organic baby arugula or wild rocket
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
12 small-medium fried sage leaves (see below)
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees and toss squash with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes (tossing once) until tender and golden brown.  Remove sheet pan from oven and set aside.
• In a large saute pan, add olive oil, leeks, garlic, thyme and sage and cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes until leeks are tender, stirring frequently to prevent garlic from burning.
• Deglaze with white wine or brandy and cook for a couple of minutes until alcohol has reduced.
• Turn heat up to medium and add vegetable stock and cook until stock has reduced by half about 15 minutes.
• Add cream and cook until lightly thickened about 5 minutes longer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.  Drain pasta, rinse well under water, and drain well again.
• Start off by adding 3/4 of the cooked pasta to the pan, along with roasted butternut squash and arugula and toss to heat through.  
• Depending on how much sauce you have, add the remaining cooked pasta--you may need to add a little more vegetable stock if sauce is too thick.
• Serve immediately garnished with toasted pine nuts and fried sage leaves and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Cashew Cream:

1/2 cup raw cashews soaked overnight, drained
1 cup filtered water

Method:

• Drain cashews and add to a blender.  Add filtered water and blend on high for about 4 minutes (with ear plugs...:-) until creamy.  Strain cream and set aside.  You'll need 1 cup for this recipe.  Use any remaining cream in your morning coffee.

Fried Sage:

12 small sage leaves
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Method:

• Heat a small saute pan on medium heat, add sage and cook for about 1 minute, turning once until darkened and crispy.
• Remove from pan and place on a paper towel.
• Sprinkle with kosher salt.

 










 

French Apple-Custard Tart

Today is my last post for my Thanksgiving Series.  When I mentioned my series back in late September I posted a photo for an Apple-Riesling Tart.  I did not post the recipe because I felt that it was too complicated.  And so I simplified the recipe by using a store-bought apricot jam and left out the Riesling reduction altogether.  The added cost for the Riesling really didn't provide much to the recipe--even though it sounded good.   I also experimented with a gluten-free version of the crust, but it was just too crumbly to hold up against the weight of the apples.  But I will continue experiment with a gluten-free crust for future posts, so stay tuned.

I still haven't decided what I'm going to serve on Thanksgiving, but I'll post my final menu next week.  Until then, thanks for following along with me and I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!

Flaky Pastry Crust Ingredients:
(Makes enough for 2 9" Tart Pans)

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp unfiltered sugar
12 tbsp or 1-1/2 sticks Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks, cut into small cubes, frozen
4 tbsp or 1/2 stick Earth Balance Natural Shortening, cut into small cubes, frozen
1/4-1/2 cup cold filtered water

Method:

• Add flour, salt, sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine.
• Using the pulse mode add butter and shortening and pulse until the texture is crumbly and the fat resembles small peas.
• While still in pulse mode, drizzle in water slowly until dough sticks together when pressed in your hand.
• Remove dough from bowl and place on a cutting board.  Divide dough into two 1" high flat disk/circles.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour before rolling out.  If only making one tart, wrap the second disk in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to three months.

Cashew Cream:

 

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight in filtered water

2 cups filtered water

 

Method:

• Drain cashews and place in a blender and cover with 2 cups filtered water.
• Blend on high for about 4 minutes until creamy.  You'll need to strain the cream if you don't have a high speed blender.
• Measure out 1 cup for the custard and reserve the other cream for other uses.

Tart Filling:

3-4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced in half and then thinly sliced

1 cup cashew cream

1/3 maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup apricot glaze (I used 100% pure fruit apricot jam, heated it and then strained it removing any solids) 

 

Method: 

• Peel, core and slice apples and decorate top of tart shell.
• In a blender mix together 1 cup cashew cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract and cornstarch.
• Pour over top of tart/apples (see assembly instructions below).

Assembly:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and position oven rack in the middle of the oven.
• On a lightly floured cutting board, roll out the dough to 3/8" thick and line a 9" tart pan, pressing along the sides and removing excess from the edges.
• With the prongs of a fork, prick the bottom of the dough several times and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill.
• Remove tart from the freezer and place on a sheet tray.
• Brush the bottom of the tart pan with a little apricot jam and then start overlapping apple slices starting at the top edge and working around to complete the circle.  You want the apple slices to cover the edge of the tart.  Follow the same pattern for the second and third layers, using any small apple slices to fill in the holes.  
• You want the entire surface of the tart covered with apples.
• Move the tart/sheet pan to the oven rack and then slowly pour in custard in a circular motion.
• Carefully slide in oven rack and bake tart for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until golden brown and custard is set.  If apples start to brown too much you can drape tart with foil or turn oven down to 350 degrees, but you may need to adjust your cooking time with a lower temperature.
• Remove tart from oven and let cool on rack for about 15 minutes before removing tart ring.
• While tart is cooling, brush with warm apricot glaze.
• Let tart cool for about 30 minutes before cutting and serve with your favorite vegan ice cream or sweetened cashew cream (see below).

Sweetened Cashew Cream:

 

1/2 cup cashew cream

1/4 cup apricot glaze

 

Method:

• Mix ingredients together in a bowl and chill until ready to use.