Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves or kale

Directions

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Adapted from the Tuscan Vegetable Soup recipe at Food Network

Super Simple Sandwich

Today I went for super simple.  I loved it!  I got the 9 grain bread from Bountiful Baskets, but you could really use any whole grain bread that you prefer.

2 slices whole grain bread

hummus

spring mix lettuce 

thinly sliced tomato

sliced avocado

Spread hummus on each slice of bread.  

Then add as much of the spring mix as you would like.

Add tomato slices and avocado slices.

Eat!

Kimmy's Chocolate Pudding

Vegetarian chocolate pudding. 

Unsweetened cocoa 2tbsp, 

3 prunes, 

1 FROZEN banana, 

1 cup soy or almond milk. 

Blend and eat right away for frozen smoothie style or freeze as chocolate ice cream.

Vegan Blueberry Oat Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (use gluten-free if you wish)
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Couple pinches of Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 cups unsweetened Almond Milk (Or Rice, Hemp, Soy…)
2 Ripe Bananas
1- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen that were thawed out a bit)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Coconut Oil (for skillet)

Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad - Cinco de Mayo!

You will need:

1 c. quinoa
1 can black beans, drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
The juice from 3 small limes
1 Tbs. cumin
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbs. cooking oil (I use coconut)

Directions:

1. Bring 2 c. water to boil and add quinoa. Cover with lid and simmer until all water is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes), remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
2. Sautée minced garlic and finely chopped onion in oil until translucent, adding spices.
3. Add cooked quinoa to sautéed mixture and stir well. Add can of black beans and combine.
4. Add diced tomatoes and cilantro, then pour lime juice over salad and stir well.
5. I like to serve mine with avocado slices and tortilla chips, but you could eat this by itself, as a side dish, on top of a salad, etc.…the possibilities are endless!

Avocado Dressing

This dressing is ideal for Southwestern salads.  It also works well on bean salads!  

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup soft avocado

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 T lime juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined.  Refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors.

For more information about the Sanity Health Challenge, click here.

Bean and Barley Chowder

Barley is an excellent source of Soluble Fiber!  This means that they act as a prebiotic.

The longer you cook this thick and hearty soup, the creamier and richer tasting it becomes.

Ingredients:

8 cups water or vegetable broth

1 cup dry baby lima beans, soaked overnight and drained

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrot

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 T crushed garlic

1 tsp thyme

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Place water and beans in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.  Add remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper.  Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until barley and beans are tender and broth is creamy, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Recipe from Forks over Knives

Happy Birthday Strawberry Cupcakes

This past weekend was my daughter's 6th birthday.  She chose a Strawberry Shortcake themed party, so I made these Strawberry Cupcakes from The Joy of Vegan Baking. 

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 T white distilled vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz crushed or pureed strawberries (I blended fresh strawberries in my Vitamix, but you could use frozen as well)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease standard muffin tins or fill the muffin cups with cupcake liners.  

Mix together the flour, baking soda, and sugar in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, and vanilla.  Add the pureed strawberries and stir to combine.  

Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients.  Stir to combine, but do not overstir.  The batter will be a bit frothy.  Pour the batter into the muffin tins, filling ONLY halfway.  

Bake for 30 minutes for cupcakes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and put on a wire rack to cool.

Make sure the cupcakes are very cool - you can even refrigerate them.  When they are warm, they are crumbly.  

I used the following frosting recipe from 1000 Vegan Recipes:

1 cup spectrum organic shortening

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 T coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the shortening until light and fluffy with an electric mixer or a kitchenaid. 

Add the sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla, and mix until thoroughly combined.  Continue mixing for about 2 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and stiff.  Put in icing bag and swirl on top of the cooled cupcakes, or spread with knife. 

Carly's Baked Oatmeal

My sister shared this recipe with me.  She got it off of Cooking Light and I tweaked it a little bit to make it dairy free.  You could even make it gluten free if you used gluten free oats.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked quick oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup raisins

1 T chopped walnuts

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups of coconut or almond milk

1/2 cup applesauce or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 T Earth Balance butter

1 T ground flax mixed with 3 T water (let sit for a minute)

1/4 cup of diary free mini chocolate chips (optional)

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, earth balance butter, and flax mixture. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Dairy Free Chocolate Ice Cream

This is from The Londoner, a blog that I will be reading for a while.  Because she wrote this post. 

Dairy Free Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients and Directions:

Chop up a bunch of bananas, pile them on a plate and put them in the freezer for 5 hours or overnight if possible.

When they are frozen, put them in the blender or food processor and blend until it is a smooth mush.

Add 2-3 heaped teaspoons of cocoa powder (or chocolate shakeology or tropical shakeology if you want a tropical fruity ice cream) and a swirl of pure maple syrup or make it peppermint flavored with a drop of doTERRA Peppermint oil....or orange...Oh, the possibilities are endless!

If you like it soft, just scoop it into a bowl and enjoy. 

Or stick it in tupperware and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours. 

I think I have found a new recipe for when I am watching The Biggest Loser.

Vegan Coconut Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed until it’s liquid
• 1 1/4 vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp vegan butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tbsp strawberry jam
• 6 fresh strawberries mashed
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 16 paper baking cups.
2. Measure the apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Let stand until curdled, about 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk mixture, coconut oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack.
7. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.
8. For the frosting:
9. Cream the butter until smooth
10. Add in the vanilla, jam, and mashed strawberries and mix well
11. Mix in sugar and continue to mix until mixed well

Cynthia's Vegan Blender Waffles or Pancakes

Oil-free, sugar free, whole wheat vegan blender waffles or pancakes... (Wow, long name! ha!)

1 1/2 cups hard red or white wheat kernels
2 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
3 T ground flax seeds
1/2 cup + 1 T water (to make 9 T altogether)
1 tsp salt
3 stevia packets
1 rounded T baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup flour (white or wheat)

Put the wheat, and milk into a blender and blend on high speed for 3-4 minutes, or until kernels seem to be smooth. Then add the flax seed, water, salt, stevia, baking powder, baking soda, applesauce and flour to the blender. Blend for another 1-2 minutes until batter is incorporated. (Might have to stir the top part in with a spoon. Pour into greased waffle iron or griddle and cook. Makes about 15 waffles.

And you can even make this with a regular blender no vita-mix needed!

And for a sugar free syrup, put about a cup of frozen mixed berries into the microwave and microwave for about a minute and mash with a potato masher and add either some vanilla or a drop of lemon essential oil. Yummy!

By Cynthia Gough

Easy Black Bean Cakes

Easy Black Bean Cakes

This makes a great vegan recipe.  I'm thinking you could also bake them and that would be even healthier.  I will try it that way next time.  You could also easily substitute other veggies as well. 

can of black beans, drained really well
¼  yellow squash, minced
¼  zucchini, minced
½  onion, minced
2 tsp cumin
salt to taste
whole wheat bread crumbs, or alternative flour (soy, almond, garbanzo bean)
1 -2 tsp olive oil or cooking spray

Mash the black beans, squash, zucchini, onion, cumin and salt with a fork or potato masher.  Add bread crumbs to keep the mixture from being too sticky. Form into patties.  Heat oil in frying pan, add patties and cook on each side till browned….about 5 minutes per side.  For the topping I added Mango Salsa.  You can be creative with the topping.

You can also sub the squash and zucchini with red, green or yellow peppers.

Low-Fat Banana Oatmeal Chip Muffin

Low-Fat Banana Oatmeal Chip Muffin  

Ingredients:

• 3 large ripe bananas (mashed)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seed + 3 tbsp water)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup carob/cacao chips

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, make your chia egg by mixing 1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsp warm water. Mix and set aside.
• Add all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix. In another bowl, mix all wet ingredients (including the chia egg). Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well-incorporated.
• In a well greased muffin pan (I used Pam cooking spray), spoon the mixture into each cup (the cups should be around 3/4 full).
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.

• Remove from oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

Pizza Dough

This is a very simple and yummy Pizza Dough recipe that is kind of a mix of different recipes.  It's really my husband's, but I don't feel remotely guilty about stealing it.  We typically make two batches of the dough, which makes four pizzas.

Ingredients:

1 tsp or 1/2 packet active dry yeast

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups unbleached organic white flour

1 tsp kosher or sea salt

1-2 tsp tuscan style Italian Seasoning

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of warm water into a bowl.  Sprinkle the yeast over the water.

2.  Combine the flour and the salt and seasonings into a mixing bowl.  I do this in our kitchenaid mixer.

3.  With an electric mixer or the kitchenaid hook, mix on low speed and drizzle the olive oil until just incorporated.

4.  Stir the yeast/water mixture very gently.

5.  Drizzle it into the flour/oil mixture until the dough forms a ball.  (You can also mix by hand until the dough comes together.)

6.  Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean bowl.  Toss the ball of dough into the bowl and turn over to coat in oil. 

7.  Cover the bowl with a moist kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 1 or 2 hours, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to two days.

8.  To prepare the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  

9.  Divide the dough in half.  Lightly drizzle olive oil on a pizza pan or rimmed baking sheet.

10.  Using your hands, stretch the dough to the desired shape, pressing the dough into the pan with your fingers.  The thinner the better!  The surface of the dough should be lumpy from finger marks.  All the better to hold the toppings!  

11.  Lay the desired toppings over the dough and bake the pizza for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden brown.  

The other half of the dough may be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated fr up to 3 days before use, or frozen for up to 6 months.  Make a huge batch in advance and have it ready when you need it!

Pumpkin Waffles

You can tell we like pumpkin stuff around here.  I am a big fan, and the kids are gaga for pumpkin bread.  Today was a lazy Sunday evening so we made these pumpkin waffles from the cookbook, 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson.  I got it for Christmas from my mom, and figure I have a loooong time before I will need another vegan cookbook!  

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour (I doubled the recipe and used half whole wheat)

1/3 cup of sugar (you could also use agave syrup)

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. ground allspice

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1 cup soy, almond, or coconut milk

1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

2 T. canola or grapeseed oil

1 t. vanilla

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla until really well blended.  Add the liquid ingredients and blend with a few swift strokes until just combined.

Ladle 1/2 cup of the batter onto the hot waffle iron.  Cook until done, 3 to 5 minutes.  Make sure your waffle iron is sufficiently oiled or sprayed with non-stick spray.

You can add pecans, dairy free chocolate chips, or walnuts.  Enjoy!