Hot Apple Cider

From thekindlife.com


Ingredients

6 cups organic apple juice
1/4 cup real maple syrup (you can use way less – let’s face it, apple juice is sweet on its own)
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries (I never really use these, but if you have them laying around, go for it)
1 orange peel, cut into strips (optional)
1 lemon peel, cut into strips (optional)
Instructions

Pour the apple juice and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.

Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture. I’m not that concerned if it all sits in the broth loose – just be careful not to pour it into your mugs when you serve it.

Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling. You can leave it on the lowest simmer during a party.

Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired (I never do that part – it looks fancy and nice, but feels like a bit of a waste of a cinnamon stick – so it’s optional).

Vegan Thanksgiving

This is how the day of thanks started. Bringing the boys to the beach and watching the two of them run off and get soaked within minutes......



We were going to go out to dinner to our favorite vegan restaurant but the day before decided we'd cook. And you'd think I'd post the menu BEFORE thanksgiving and not after but I regress :( Needless to say it was flippin delicious and you could have this for Christmas in a few weeks. The little boy was ever so pleased, eating more than I thought he would. Then Daddy trimmed his crazy-long bangs! :( It was a perfectly beautiful, mellow and relaxing day!

Menu was:

Tofurky (you can't go wrong with it, ever! Follow the box instructions/suggestions and add the potatoes, carrots, onions, etc.
Country Gravy (recipe off the back of the box)
Wasabi mashed potatoes (not very thanksgivingy, I know)
Green Beans
Biscuits (from "Vegan With a Vengeance")
Cranberries (From Whole Paycheck)






Pumpkin Pie

1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 package (10-12 ounces) soft tofu, processed in blender until smooth
1 9-in unbaked pie shell



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Cream the pumpkin and sugar. Add salt, spices, and tofu, mix thoroughly until smooth. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 F and bake for another 40 minutes. Chill and serve.

Top with non dairy topping.

Serves: 8

~~~Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies~~~

"This cookie was made for the sole purpose of proving that vegan cookies are just as good as non-vegan ones!" -Isa Chandra Moskowitz (author of cookbook "Vegan with a Vengeance" where I got this recipe)


These are good but don't freeze and thaw out later; not so good.



[WARNING: I'd recommend, if interested, getting this cookbook from the library (like I did) because some of the recipes are no bueno. I made the p.b. cookies that I followed to the t and they turned out horrendous! (wouldn't even mold), so I blame the recipe and I was pretty pissed (you know how expensive organic ingredients are!). So better to google what you want to make beforehand (a TON of people were also unhappy w/ that bunk p.b. recipe) so don't waste your time and money like I did.]

Guess what little three year old had a fit, wanting "MOOOOORE!!" (it was like witnessing a crack withdrawal) after stuffing his face with one and then wanting a second. Lots of throwing his body around and flailing (so I know they're good;).....

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1 c. non-hydrogenated margarine, at room temperature (earth balance sticks are the best)
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses (blackstrap)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. all- purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Cream together the margarine and sugar until fluffy.

Add the molasses and vanilla.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix well.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls spaced a little over 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until ever so slightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack

Engine 2 Diet---

From The Engine 2 Diet, my homeboys in Austin!



Kale, Lemon, and Cilantro Sandwich

Any greens of choice will work. The lemon adds an almost sweet taste. Be generous with it!

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, rinsed and drained
4 slices whole grain bread, toasted
Healthy Homemade Hummus
4 green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro or parsley, rinsed and chopped
1 lemon with skin on, sliced very thinly into rounds
Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions:

Tear kale leaves away from thick stem. Discard stem and chop leaves into bite-size pieces.
Toast bread until brown and crispy, about 3 minutes.
Put kale in a pot filled with about 4 inches of water.
Bring to a boil, cover and cook for two to three minutes, until kale is tender. Check frequently.
Spread toast thickly with hummus, sprinkle on the green onions, pile cilantro on top, then place a few very thin slices of lemons on the cilantro.
When kale is tender, drain well. Shake the strainer so all water is gone, then sprinkle the kale in the strainer with lemon zest and the juice from the remaining lemons. Lots of lemon makes this good!
Place a large handful of lemon filled kale on top of each piece sandwich half and top with remaining toast slices.

Variations: Add a thick slice of tomato to each sandwich.

from: http://engine2diet.com/the-daily-beet/“the-veg-edge”-debuts-tonight-with-rip-on-the-cooking-channel/

~~Winter Squash Soup~~

It's soup weather, so I'm going to attempt this recipe tonight......



Vegan Winter Squash Soup

12 oz frozen cooked winter squash [or 1 1/2 cups cubed fresh winter squash]
12.3 ounce aseptic container of fat-free, firm tofu [Do not use refrigerated tofu; texture will be too grainy]
3 small organic potatoes, cut into sixths [No peeling required]
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 to 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or veggie bouillon)
3 T nutritional yeast
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dry sage
Dash nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt, or more, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan. Start with just 1 cup of vegetable broth and add more later if you prefer a thinner soup. Break up the tofu with your spatula. Don't worry if it looks a bit wonky; you'll puree it after cooking.

Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium. Cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, or until squash and potatoes are soft. Add more broth, if needed.

Process with an immersion blender until completely smooth.

From: http://urbanvegan.net/2009/03/insanely-thick-and-comforting-squash.html

Did you know?

Did you know it takes an average of 2,500 gallons of water to produce a single pound of red meat?




Did you know Meat contains approximately 14 times more pesticides than plant foods? Dairy contains 5 percent more pesticides than plant foods.



Spinach grown on an acre of land can yield 26 times more protein than beef produced on the same acre."






Did you know 260 million acres of forest in the U.S have been cleared to maintain a meat centered diet?



Did you know 55 square feet of rainforest is destroyed to produce one quarter pound of beef?




Did you know 660,000 animals are murdered every hour for their flesh?




Did you know A carnivorous diet requires 4200 gallons of water per day; a vegetarian one, 300 gallons per day?



Did you know If we stopped intensively breeding farmed animals and grew crops to feed humans instead, we could easily feed everyone on the planet with healthy and affordable vegetarian foods.




Did you know that the livestock business generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transportation combined? In other words, a meat eater riding a bicycle contributes more to global warming than a vegan driving a hummer.






I won't leave you with all that gloom and doom. So below is some inspiration for you....now get to cooking some real food: http://www.veganseatpencilshavings.com/
http://www.vegan.org/going_vegan/eating_vegan/index.html
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/making-the-transition-vegetarian.aspx
http://www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com/page/page/657466.htm
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/more-reasons-to-go-vegan.aspx

~Raw Vegan Brownies~

these take minutes and they're totally kid approved. i made again today and doubled we all dug them so much!



1 cup mixed nuts (cashews, walnuts)
spoonful of cocoa powder
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, pitted dates, figs)

add all in food processor and mix until well blended. scoop out and mold into small container or pan. refrigerate until they harden a bit. keep refrigerated.

enjoy!

French Lentil Soup

My new obsession! The french sure know how to do most everything don't they? ;)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable stock (or 2 cubes of vegetable bouillon)
1 1/4 cups lentils, rinsed
14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic over medium-high heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Once the vegetables have just started to turn light brown, add the salt, thyme, and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring the mixture for about a minute.

Add the vegetable stock, lentils, and diced tomatoes to the pan. Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce the temperature slightly so that it is simmering. Simmer the soup, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Puree 1 3/4 cups of the soup with the cider vinegar and stir the pureed mixture back into the soup.

Makes 6 servings.

Eco-Eating

This is a quick video all should see.

Vegetable Barley Soup

i doubled this because i need having leftovers for my sanity ;) that's just how we do it. it's super easy and delicious. all you need is some french bread or a salad and you're good to go. seems like it would be light but it's a meal in and of itself. enjoy!


ingredients:

1 yellow onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
15-20 small mushrooms, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 c. barley
2 c. chopped kale/collards/etc. (less or more depending on taste; it can become too leafy if you're not careful)
tamari/soy sauce, to taste
sea salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste

Saute all veggies in olive oil for a few min. add barley (pre-rinsed) and 10-12 c. water. cook for 1 hr. or until barley is done. then add kale or other greens for the last few min (could even throw in a can of diced tomatoes). add salt to taste.

Quick, Easy, Quinoa

Did you know that 1 cup of quinoa has more calcium than a quart of milk?! Yet another reason to ditch the cow juice! Quinoa is the best go-to when you don't know what the hell to eat but you have little time or to add as a side dish. Toddlers & kids seems to love it as well, (I can attest to this as mine can eat an unusually shocking amount in one sitting). I would like to grow it in my backyard b/c it's so damn beautiful, but I don't see that in my near future...It has a good amount of protein (5 g. for 1/2 c., for you pregnant/lactating/bodybuilders out there) and an surprisingly nice amount of iron!). I think it's best with collard greens and blackened tempeh (both recipes below).

Enjoy!

Quinoa

1 cup dry quinoa, red or white
2 cups water
shake of sea salt
splash of olive oil or earth balance butter

Boil water. Add (thoroughly rinsed) quinoa into boiling water, salt, and butter or olive oil and reduce heat to low/med. Keep lid on slightly and boil for about 10-15 min. Check after 10.

Check out this site for more quinoa recipes and if you're feeling a little less boring than me :http://vegweb.com/index.php?board=396.0

Ice Cream Sandwiches (Raw vegan style)

Look what I'm doing here, everything I said I wouldn't by continuously posting desserty recipes. Ladies got a problem and I do reckon it's called laziness. If you've ever seen, "Mermaids" I think I might be Cher's character from the film where all she makes are hors d'oeuvres all day long for her kids. In all seriousness, I do do meals but lately they haven't been anywhere near interesting enough to post.

I got this bad boy from the good people @ peta: http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/lookbookkookbook-ice-cream-sandwiches.aspx?c=pfs who in turn got them from these cool people who also happen to sell super cute vegan clothes: http://www.lookbookcookbook.com/ They're good and the critic loved them (I got a, "yumm, yeah those were good ice cream sandwitches Mommy!"...You're welcome.

Raw Vegan Ice Cream Sandwiches

For the Maple Nut Ice Cream:
1 cup cashews, soaked for 1 hour and rinsed thoroughly
6 Tbsp. organic maple syrup
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, at room temperature
1 cup purified water
1 tsp. cinnamon

Place all the ingredients into a blender and mix to a smooth liquid.
Pour the mixture into a small dish until it measures about 1-inch thick.
Place in the freezer for three hours or until completely frozen.

For the Chocolate Walnut Cookies:
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. raisins
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt

Place all the ingredients into a blender and mix well. You'll know it's done when you can hold clumps of the mixture and it sticks together.
Smooth out the dough on a plate or in a large container until it is approximately 1/2-inch thick. (I use a rubber spatula to even it out.) Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.
Remove the dough from the freezer and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. When no more shapes can be cut, lightly knead the remaining dough with your fingers to thaw it a bit, then smooth it out and flatten again to approximately 1/2-inch thick. Freeze again and cut more shapes until dough is gone.
When the ice cream is frozen, use the same cookie cutter to cut shapes from it. Place one ice cream shape between two cookie shapes. Put them back in the freezer if they have melted slightly or serve immediately.

VEGAN CAESAR SALAD

I got this recipe from the ever-so-inspirational Mimi Kirk (and ya'll better be taking some advice from someone who looks at least 20 years younger than she is - and without resorting to plastic surgery!). It's everyone's new fav around here (I've made this salad weekly since finding this recipe) and sonny boy eats an entire bowl happily, every time I make it. Don't skip the cashew, aka parm cheese, it pulls it all together beautifully!


Caesar Salad (serves 2)

2 cloves garlic (pressed)
capers (about two garlic presses full, or approx. 1 heaping tsp.)
1/2 tsp. mustard
lemon (to taste, about1/2 very juicy lemon)
dash tamari
olive oil (slowly pour in and mix until emulsified
salt
pepper
romaine lettuce (be sure get all the water out after rinsing. best if chilled for a few hours)

cashew parmesan "cheese" to sprinkle on top
1/2 c. raw, unsalted cashews
pinch salt
approx 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
dash garlic powder

food processed all together (you'll have left overs:)



my little boy doesn't dig salads but he ate all of his up in less than 3min.! it's a winner!

Vegan Maple Walnut Brownies

Happy labor day!



These went over quite well this weekend. Three years ago this little boy of ours was born in the kitchen in the wee hours after labor day, and this year he helped out in the kitchen making these delicious brownies in celebration :) He's taken quite an interest in the baking process....Enjoy~

1 1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 c. water ( i used grain coffee I had left over, not sure if it made a difference as I haven't made yet without.)
1/3 c. oil (i used safflower)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder. Add maple syrup, vanilla, water, oil and walnuts and mix together gently. Spoon into lightly oiled 8x8" pan and bake 25-30 min.
(From "How It All Vegan" cookbook)

Blackened Tempeh

This is our new fav. So far it's been for adults only and I plan to give to the babe, minus the cayenne at a later date. It's super good w/ tahini, greens/or salad and brown rice. It takes minutes!

Blackened Tempeh

1 tsp.each of: paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, dried oregano, & dried thyme.
1/2 tsp. black pepper
dashes of sea salt
dash cayenne pepper

Brush tempeh patties with oil, (pre-steamed for 10 min. See tempeh bacon recipe below for how to steam tempeh for a better taste). Coat them with the spice mixture, and sear in a hot frying pan. Let the spices smoke for 5-10 seconds to blacken.




Tahini dressing

(I never measure anything when I make tahini. It's all to your liking, so experiment to see what you like best. I like the constancy to be a little bit more thick when I'm using it to pour on top tempeh. I find myself craving this stuff like I imagine one would crave crack. You'll have leftovers :)

a few Tbsp. tahini
dash of soy sauce
dash sea salt
dash cayenne pepper
dash cumin
squeeze lemon
water (add tsp. at a time to get the consistency you want. It takes a while to mix and it's tricky b/c it separates but you can do it, I believe in you;) i usually end up adding about 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp water).

Farah's Date Bars

This dessert recipe was given to me from one of my best friends mom, Farah. She was born and raised in Tehran, so she knows her dates better than most people! I'm so in love with dates and this is so rich, I can only have a little slice at a time (they're that divine!). Farah recommended I drink with tea, and I agree. So have a little tea party and enjoy~


Date bars

-1 package of date paste (they sell this at any persian market, it's just dates & oil (you can also make your own date paste by food processing pit-less dates (maybe about a cup) and just enough veggie/safflower or canola oil to form a thick, moldable paste).
-chopped walnuts (a small handful)
-coconut oil

Over low heat mix date paste with tsp of coconut oil at a time, just enough to be able to mix together. It should be the consistency of play-doh. Then add walnuts and stir. Take off heat and place on plate. Mold to desired shape and refrigerate.

Tempeh Bacon

Tempeh (sliced the long way about 1/8" thick (it will expand slightly when you steam)
1/4 c. soy sauce
splash maple syrup
splash liquid smoke
teeny bit of cayenne pepper
teeny bit of cumin

Slice tempeh and place in a steamer and steam 10-15 min (usually only takes 10). This is to get the bitter taste out (which tempeh tends to have).

Place in a container with all the rest of the ingredients and thoroughly saturate the tempeh. Let sit for as long as possible (overnight is ideal) then fry and enjoy in sustitute of bacon (tlt's are the best!).

The little one can eat about 5 slices of these in 5 min :)

Enjoy!

Farmers Market Squash Soup

i found the BEST farmers market and it so happens to be right around the corner from our adorable little beach casa (remind me never to move away from california again!). i immediately steered towards the only organic booth and the couple there, well lets just say i feel in love with them and their produce. warm and caring farmers, totally passionate about organic farming! everything on their table looked incredibly luscious, (spots and all!).. so i practically bought them out of the most adorable looking little baby squashes.... i found this recipe online (http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/08/sunny-summer-squash-soup.html) when i got home with the help of my two favorite guys we pulled it together. bon appetite!



Squash Soup

add all optional ingredients to taste. for a creamier and richer soup, add the nutritional yeast and tahini. (***if you go the yellow squash route you may want to add turmeric for a prettier color).

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small hot pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 ribs celery, strings removed and chopped
2 medium (12-14 ounces) gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
1 1/2 pounds small yellow squash, chopped (or young zucchini, or any summer squash)
1 pinch white pepper
4 cups vegetable broth (we use 3-4 vegan boullion cubes & 4 c. water)
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional, for color)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tablespoon tahini (optional)
salt and white pepper, to taste (optional)

Garnish: slivers of red bell pepper

Heat a large non-stick or enamel-coated pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, covered but stirring every minute or so, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes (add a little water if it tends to stick). Add the garlic and hot pepper and cook for another minute.

Add all remaining ingredients except the optional ones. Cover and cook until the potatoes are completely tender (they will mash if lightly pressed with a spoon), about 25-40 minutes.

Remove half of the soup and put it into a blender* and puree at high speed until completely smooth. (Be careful–hot liquids can erupt from your blender; I always remove the center cup from the lid and cover the opening with a kitchen towel.) Once it’s blended, pour the soup into another pot. Add the remaining soup to the blender, along with any optional ingredients you choose to use, and blend well. Add to the other half of the soup, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls, garnish with slices of red bell pepper, and serve.

Coconut Oil!

If I fry, I try to fry with this stuff. I use it all the time.. on everything. So i'm sending you over to this ladies blog so you can see what you can do with coconut oil, like making popcorn (insane!)......

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/05/coconut-oil-recipes.html

Kale Chips

We view kale around this house as the kind calcium source. We put it in our smoothies in the morning, steam it and add ginger/garlic/soy sauce and olive oil with dinner, make dinosaur kale salads (the name alone makes j happy! see below for recipe) for lunch, and now our new big thing is KALE CHIPS! The kid will eat these up in about 10 min. We can both go through two heads too quickly. Hope you like as much as we do!

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt or sea salt

Preheat an oven to 350. Oil a cookie sheet.

Remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces.
Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner.
Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 15-25 minutes. Turning every 10-15 min. Watch carefully in those last few minutes.

World Wide Vegan Bake Sale in Austin Tx.!

Not a big surprise that one of the most progressive cities in the U.S. participated in the World Wide Vegan Bake Sale to support local animal sanctuary "Sunny Day Farms". An awesome rescue farm outside of San Antonio run by an even more awesome woman: Brooke Chavez. She rescues abused, neglected and displaced farm animals and brings them "home" to her amazing and loving sanctuary. She is a true St. Francis! Brooke is also a mom and a wife and puts in a TON of her own money every month to keep the place up and running. The bake sale raised $1,033 for Sunny Day Farms! I was proud to be a small part of it and my little food critic LOVED the cupcakes I made. He even TRIED to snag another before we left but that wasn't going to happen ;).....As we were driving away he said he was sad to leave and that he "loved vegan bake sales!" He can't wait to go visit the animals!






Brooke Chavez (my hero!) with a couple of vegan kids :)






Vegetarian cop; the fittest one on the dept., no doubt!

Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwich (with Avocado and Tomato)

It's the best I've found yet! "Daiya" cheese is better than "Follow your Heart" in my opinion

6 slices of bread (whole wheat or whole grain is best)
Earth Balance Butter
Daiya Cheddar Shreds
1 tomato
1 avocado
1 jalapeno pepper
Veganaise
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut off the stem off Jalapeno and then slice the pepper down the center to the tip. Remove the seeds and membranes. Cook the pepper in one cup of boiling water for 2 -3 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse in cold water. Drain and dry it off with a paper towel. Slice into small pieces and set aside.

Slice tomato and avocado into thin slices. Set aside.

Butter one side of each slice of bread with Earth Balance. Melt butter on a griddle or large pan. Over medium heat place the bread in the pan, buttered side down. Spread Daiya Cheddar Shreds over three of the six slices. Put a lid on top and watch CAREFULLY so your bread doesn't burn. Once your bread has reached a golden brown color remove it from the heat. Place the slices with the cheese on it onto a plate.

(The microwave step is optional; if your not anti micro like me than just do it, as it's easier. Although putting a lid on the top of griddle does the job just as well, you just have to watch carefully) Microwave the bread 15-20 seconds per slice (depending on your microwave) until the cheese is melted. Arrange each sandwich by piling on the tomato, avocado and peppers. Salt and pepper to taste. Microwave each assembled sandwich for about 10-15 seconds to warm the sandwich up. Remove the top slice and spread some Veganaise.

Slice in half and enjoy immediately.

Cute video: Vegan Myths Debunked

(Vegan) Irish Soda Bread

It's really easy to veganize this bread, that I enjoyed quite a bit growing up. My maternal Grandma (an Irish immigrant, who moved from Limerick to Chicago at age 17) made it almost monthly and usually had a loaf for us to take home when we went to visit. To replace the buttermilk, apple cider vinegar is used and Earth Balance butter replaces dairy butter. The little one loved it and had three (pretty big) slices this morning! Enjoy!




Irish soda bread

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 cup vegan butter, cut into pieces

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup currants (you can substitute raisins if needed.)

2 teaspoons caraway seed, optional

3/4 cup Soymilk (I used the full-fat kind--Eden brand is best)

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and grease a cast iron skillet.

Stir or whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly blended.

Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Stir in the raisins, currants (if using), and caraway seeds (also if using).

Make a well in the center of your mixture and pour in the soymilk and vinegar. Stir with a spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface, and knead gently 8 to 10 times.

Place dough in skillet. It will flatten out a bit in the pan. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an "X" shape. (The purpose of the scoring is to help heat get into the center of the dough while it cooks). Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. It may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up. Check for doneness also by inserting a long, thin skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, it's done.

Hint 1: If the top is getting too dark while baking, tent the bread with some aluminum foil.
Hint 2: If you use a cast iron skillet to cook the bread in the oven, be very careful when you take the pan out. It's easy to forget that the handle is extremely hot. Cool the handle with an ice cube, or put a pot holder over it.
Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly. Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted. Best when eaten warm and just baked.

My Adventures in Kombucha Growing

I've been drinking this delich drink for YEARS now! I tried a while back (and failed miserably) to make the grain Kombucha (see down page a bit). It started to get disgusting (taste-wise) and it was like having another child with the responsibility; water had to be changed every few days, etc. etc. Soooo, my midwife gave me a "baby" of her kombucha and I tried again. It's much easier; you change the water every two-three weeks (much more doable) and it tastes like synergy or GT brands; it's good! If anyone wants a scoobie, mine is rapidly growing and I'd be happy to share!

http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/fermenting/kombucha_howto.shtml

Energy bars

Energy bars

1/2 Cup Pitted Dates
1/2 Cup Soaked Walnuts
3/4 Cup Raw Almonds
3 Tbls Agave Nectar
1/4 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Oats
1/4 Cup Mix of Dried Cranberries and Goji Berries (or a mixtuere of whatever dried fruit you have on hand)
1/4 Cup Sunflower Butter (or another nut butter)
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Dried Apricots, chopped

Place walnuts in a jar with a tight fitting lid and fill with water, let soak overnight. Place Almonds in food processor and chop until a "meaty" consistency. Add everything else and grind into a dough. Take out of the food processor and place into a bowl. Take very small handfuls and roll them into balls (have a small bowl of water to dip your hands into so the energy balls don't stick). When they are all rolled, put into a container and save in the frig.

Vegan Nachos (chili and nacho "cheese")

Got this from Ellen's website. Damn good!



1 Large Onion chopped (white or red onion)
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Coriander
1 Teaspoon Dry Oregano
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Large Diced Tomatoes
8 oz Sliced Mushrooms
2 (4oz) canned green chilies
1 bag smart ground (Mexican seasoned)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 can black or pinto beans (rinsed)
Salt as needed

Chopped Green Onion (on side)
Grated Cheddar (on side)--Daiya or "Follow Your Heart" Vegan Cheese.


Mushrooms should be rough chopped.
Sauté onions until light brown. Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes.
Add garlic and all seasonings and sauté 4 minutes more.
Add remaining ingredients and stir until hot and the right consistency. Season with s and p as needed.


Read more: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/recipes/snacks_1/vegan-nachos-vegan-chili-nacho-cheese-0205.php#ixzz1EvCb3000

Nacho Cheese

1 Block Silken Tofu
1/2 Cup Vegan Mayo
1/4 cup Water
1 Packet taco Seasoning
1-2 Tablespoons Red Palm Oil
1 Tablespoon Paprika
to taste: your favorite Hot Sauce; Chalula, Tapatio, Tabasco Blend in Blender and serve warm or in crock pot.
Add the chili and nacho cheese to chips to make great vegan nachos. Add jalapeos for extra spice.
Field Roast brand vegan sausages were also on display. Can be bought at Whole Foods.

Read more: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/recipes/snacks_1/vegan-nachos-vegan-chili-nacho-cheese-0205.php#ixzz1EvCda5Bg