Vegan Green Onion Dip

 With the holidays right around the corner, this recipe from Whole Foods looks very promising.  Serve with fresh veggies , of course, but I can't wait to try it on a baked potato!  

1 block firm tofu

2 TBL. Lemon juice

2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar 

2 tsp. Agave

2 tsp. Olive Oil

2 green onions white and green parts diced

2 TBL onion powder

2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Place tofu and liquid ingredients and process till smooth. Add the remaining ingredients  and pulse 5 to 10 times to combine.

Best if chilled 2 hours or longer.  

Chickpea Noodle Soup

2 TBL Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion diced
3 Carrots cut into rounds
3 Celery Ribs sliced

1 Large clove garlic or 3 small cloves finely chopped.
10 Cups of boiling water (approximately)
3 tubes of vegetarian broth concentrate or both of your choice
1 Small bunch of Parsley finely chopped
2 basil leaves (optional) finely sliced
2 large dried  sage leaves crumpled, or fresh in season

1 Plum tomatoes cubed (optional)

Handful of frozen chopped spinach (optional)

One can of drained, rinsed chickpeas
Salt and Pepper

*A pinch of this and a dash of that!  Lately I have been adding a bit of dry oregano and some poultry season.  

In a heavy soup pot - add oil and sauté onion, celery, and carrots until onions are translucent. 

Add garlic and saute for about 60 seconds. Pour in hot water and add veggie broth concentrate or bouillon and chickpeas. Bring up to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Add chopped herbs and spinach to the pot. Season with salt and pepper cook until all vegetables are soft.  Adjust for seasoning, turn off heat and add your favorite cooked soup noodles. Mmmm, Mmmm...really good!

Baked Cranberry Apple Walnut Oatmeal

Have you tried any of my vegan baked oatmeal recipes?  It's pretty hard to mess up baked oatmeal, so lately I have been experimenting with additional ingredients.  Today I added chopped apple, applesauce, walnuts and fresh chopped cranberries.  It is so good I can't stop eating it!  Good thing it is so healthy!

Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal

8 servings

Another day, another baked oatmeal.  This tastes like banana bread!  Great recipe for using over-ripe bananas.  

1  1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2TBL flaxseed meal

1/ 8 cup maple syrup

1  1/2 cups vanilla soy milk or almond milk

1/2 cup water

2 Large ripe bananas - mashed with fork

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8 by 8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine  cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and flaxseed meal.  Add milk, water and bananas and combine. 

3. Stir in raisins and oats

4. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake an  additional  15 minutes or until oatmeal is golden brown and set. Remove fromoven and serve warm.  Also good to snack on cold or gently warm in the microwave.  Refrigerate the leftovers.

                                    www.myfitnesspal.com

 

Bananas have been getting a bad rap lately.  This is a good article explaining why they really are good for you.  

http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/why-bananas-are-good-for-weight-loss-and-immunity/

Cherry Tomato Arrabiata

Makes 2 generous servings

It's getting colder and I will soon miss going to the garden to gather ingredients for this dinner.  Simple,  fresh, quick and delicious. 

3 cups  cherry tomatoes washed, stems removed 

1 -2 TBL olive oil

4 -5 cloves of garlic, minced

Fresh Basil cut into ribbons

Fresh Parsley chopped

1/2  (approximate) teaspoon of each of the following dried spices:

         Basil, Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes. Italian Seasoning

Salt and pepper 

6 oz. thin whole wheat spaghetti 

            CorningWare Grab-it P-150  

         

Fill bottom of large deep frying pan or pot with cherry tomatoes and olive oil, cover and cook on medium high stirring occasionally.  

When tomatoes start to burst, mashed them with potato masher.  

Add chopped garlic and all spices, some salt and pepper and most of chopped parsley to tomatoes.  Turn down heat a bit and continue to cook about 10 more minutes.  

Turn off heat, add cooked pasta, all the fresh basil and remaining minced parsley and toss.  Add some pasta water if needed.   Serve with big bowl of salad tossed with wine vinegar and olive oil. 

  

       Without Pasta - Half of recipe

             www.myfitnesspal.com

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal!  Where have  you been all my life!  Seriously delicious and heart healthy!  Would make a great portable breakfast for adults as well a kids on the go, anywhere - anytime!  

8 servings

ingredients:

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1  1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2TBL flaxseed meal

1  1/2 cups vanilla soy milk or almond milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup applesauce

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup raisins

2 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced small

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8 by 8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine  brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and flaxseed meal.  Add milk, water and applesauce and combine. 

3. Stir in raisens, oats and chopped apple. 

4. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake an  additional  15 minutes or until oatmeal is golden brown and set. Remove fromoven and serve warm. Add additional toppings to baked oatmeal, if desired. 

Ran the recipe through  MyFitnessPal app.  Here is a screen shot.

     MyFitnessPal

Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin purée 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBL flaxseed meal mixed with 1/4 cup water
• ½ tsp salt 
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1½ cup vanilla soy or almond milk
• 2½ cups dry old-fashioned oats

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder until smooth. Whisk in the flaxseed water mixture and the milk.
2. Mix the dry oats into the pumpkin mixture. Coat an 8×8 (or similar sized) baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour in the pumpkin oat mixture. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, removing the foil after the first 30 minutes.
3. Serve hot right out of the oven or refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be eaten cold or reheated. Top with milk, maple syrup, whipped cream, nuts or vanilla soy ice cream

Pumpkin Spice Vanilla Latte Smoothie

        Copyright Denise Kappa Photography

OCTOBER  Every coffee and donut shop is now serving pumpkin drinks.  Did you know these drinks seldom contain any real pumpkin, just flavorings and spice.  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/03/pumpkin-content-foods-treats-snacks_n_4029849.html

On this warm October day, I whipped up a real pumpkin smoothie and wow, was it delicious!  Creamy and thick, like a pumpkin pie milk shake only better.  Tons of vitamin A, fiber, protein, potassium and calcium.  

1 Cup Vanilla Soy or Almond Milk

1 Frozen Banana

1 Scoop Vanilla Vegan Protein Powder

1 TBL Ground Flaxseed

1 Cup Cold Brewed Coffee

1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin

1/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon 

Large Handful of Ice Cubes

Blend thoroughly and enjoy.  I drink this all by myself, but it does make enough for two large servings.  

Freezing Basil

It's time to harvest basil for winter cooking.  Gather, wash and strip enough leaves to fill up a blender, then add some filtered water to keep things moving.  Blend just long enough to chop up the leaves.  Spray ice cube trays with some canola or olive oil cooking spray.  Spraying the trays makes it easier to release the frozen cubes and cleaning the trays will be much easier, too. Fill up the trays with the basil water slury.  Once frozen, pop the frozen basil cubes into freezer bags.  Remember to add a cube to finished pots of soups and sauces for the best fresh taste.  

10/5/13 - While rummaging thru my baking pans, I came across my mini-muffin pans and the thought occurred to me that these may be a better way to freeze my basil cubes.  Going to try it the next time and post results.