Banana Coconut Cashew Muffins

Banana Cashew Coconut Muffins Wet Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates 1/4 cup raisins 2 overripe bananas 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/4 cup drinkable coconut milk 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar Dry Ingredients 1 cup oat flour 1/2 cup almond meal 1/4 coconut flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt Add-ins 1/2 cup chopped cashews 1/4 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened Instructions 1. Place dates and raisins in a shallow bowl and cover with boiling water 2. Meanwhile whisk dry ingredients into a large bowl. * I made the oat flour from quick cooking oats by milling them in my magic bullet. I did the same for the almond meal by grinding up slivered almonds. 3. Mash up bananas with the back of a fork and place in a medium bowl 4. Add remaining ingredients (except dates and raisins) 5. In food processor place the soaked fruit with about 3 tbsp of the soaked water and pulse until a thick syrup is formed 6. Add the syrup to the wet ingredients and mix well 7. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine well 8. Fold in the add-ins 9. Pour mixture into lined muffin tins at 325 degrees for 20 min Let cool before eating. These are moist and delicious

Bananas and Cream Pancakes

So along with being a vegan this year (and preferably life long), I also want to work my way through my cookbooks. I've had some that I've barely cracked because when I early into this new eating style I was intimidated. Now that I have the basic equipment and understand the lingo I've been more adventurous. One particular book on my shelf: Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton is loaded with excellent, tasty, and easy ideas. So this morning I decided to make and slightly modify the 1st recipe in the book. To date these are my favorite pancakes and a new regular addition to my busy morning schedule.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup spelt flour (or any all purpose flour of your choice)
• 1 Tbsp. + 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 Tbsp. raw sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
2. In a blender or food process (I used my Nutribullet because it's super easy to clean) blend until creamy and uniform the coconut milk, banana, sugar, and vanilla
3. Pour the blended mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined
4. Lightly grease a griddle and let get hot. 
5. Pour out 1/4 cup amounts of batter onto griddle
6. Cook until bubbles start to form and then flip, cook a few minutes more
7. Serve with your favorite toppings.  

Baked Peanut Butter Banana Quinoa Oatmeal

Ingredients 

Dry

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp Peanut flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Wet

• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 mashed ripe banana
• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Add-ins

• 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
• 1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease or line an 8.5 x 13 in. casserole dish
2. In large bowl mix the dry ingredients
3. In medium bowl mix the wet ingredients
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients
5.   Fold in the quinoa
6. Pour mixture into dish and top with chocolate chips
7. Bake for 25 min
8. Let cool for 5 min and then slice

Coconut Lime Pancakes

Ingredients 

Wet:

• 1 Flax Egg (1 Tbsp. ground flax seed via coffee grinder mixed with 3 Tbsp water and allowed to sit for a few minutes)
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut/almond milk blend at room temp.
• 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp. lime zest
• Tbsp melted coconut oil
  
  
  
  
  
  

Dry

• 1 cup all purpose flour (white unbleached or whole-wheat pastry)
• 1 tsp. coconut sugar (usually found as organic and raw)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt

•  1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (to fold in right before pouring)

Instructions

1. Make the flax egg in a separate bowl by mixing the ground flax seed with water and set aside
2. In a large bowl sift together all the dry ingredients and make a well in the middle of mixture
3. In a medium bowl combine all wet ingredients and the flax egg
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the well. Stir gently until just incorporated. DO NOT OVERMIX
5. Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto a hot and lightly greased pan or griddle
6. Cook until bubbles start forming in the middle of the pancake, then flip and cook about 3 minutes on the other side
7. When done top with what you like. Enjoy

To stick with the tropical theme I topped mine with sliced bananas, shredded coconut, and some maple syrup

Complete Wheat Pancakes

So we all know that implementing fiber into our diets is essentially for a healthy GI tract. Fiber is properly known as cellulose, the insoluble carbohydrate found in plant cell walls. We as humans, and most mammals for that matter, are unable to digest this little guy. However, this makes it excellent in our foods. Fiber makes you feel fuller so you eat less and it adds bulk which makes things move through smoother. The only down side is the added flatulence you may experience. This is much more likely if fiber is something you're newly increasing in your everyday scheme. You see, we all have lots of little microbes in our gut to help us digest. These bacteria have the proper enzymes in their cell walls to break down cellulose and as a result they release nitrogen gas, which is translated as a FART to the human world. Furthermore, we have billions of these guys living in our body at any given moment. So when they go at a new found smorgasbord of cellulose they go a little over the top and cause more gas than you may like....

But if you start to eat plenty of fiber daily this affect will begin to wear off and you will poot more normally... Not sure how to put it any nicer.

On that note, I've been trying more and more ways to incorporate fiber into my family's diet in yummy and creative ways. My 1st goal was to do something with wheat. We all use it (save those that are Gluten-intolerant for obvious reasons) and I did a little research. The flour that we commonly use in our meals is actually only the milled 1/3 part of wheat. The wheat berry (the pretty little round things you see growing off a wheat stalk in the field) is composed of 3 parts: the germ, the bran, and the endosperm. For most flours the endosperm is the only part ground up. What happens is much of the fiber and nutrient dense part of wheat is thrown out. This is true for many other grains such as oats, because we typically only eat 1/3 of those little guys as well.

On different trips to the grocery store I purchased some wheat germ, its in the fridge at the health food store and I also got some wheat bran, on the shelf this time. The germ tends to go rancid if its not kept cold. Now I have plenty of wheat flour in my home: whole wheat pastry, white whole wheat, stone ground whole wheat, and unbleached enriched white wheat. None of these are truly "whole" because again they are only the endosperm. Now my meals started turning and I wanted to create a mixture of all 3 and see what taste I came up with. Boy am I glad I did.

Oddly enough I could find a recipe anywhere online that used all three, in fact if a bran was used with the flour and wheat germ it was almost always oat bran. So I finagled (spelling) and few ideas together and came up with my own concoction. Zacchaeus gobbled these pancakes down, something he almost never does before for finishing his oranges first. Made me smile a bit.

Feel free to also experiment with this recipe, but I promise it is wonderful, nutty, and delicious as is.

Ingredients:                            Makes 5 pancakes

Dry

• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
•  2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar

Wet

• 1 Flax Egg (1 Tbsp. ground flax seed (or flax meal that is already ground) + 3 Tbs. water)
• 1 cup non-dairy milk, unsweetened
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce (this replaces oil but you can sub it in if you're not worried about the added fat)
• 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

 Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Make flax egg (I use my cheap and awesome coffee grinder to break mine down)
3. Mix all wet ingredients together in a smaller bowl
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined
5. Heat a skillet or griddle and lightly grease
6. Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto the griddle about 2 inches apart and push down slightly with cup
7. Heat about 2 minutes on one side til you see bubbles in the center
8. Flip and heat about 2-3 minutes on the other side
9. Plate and top with what you like
10. Enjoy!

I decided to not use syrup this morning. Instead I put a little Strawberry jam, Almond Greek-style yogurt, pomengranate seeds, and golden raisins on mine. It was so yummy and filled me way up plus gave me lots of energy this morning.

Decadent Low-Fat Brownies

So I'm always looking for low fat but yummy desserts that I can easily make with stuff I have at home. While using special ingredients makes for interesting experiments in the kitchen, it's just not always practical. Plus, now that I live in Sherman none of the stores, including the health food store, carry the the same selection of organic and natural food products I'm used to from living in Denton. In fact, I always have a shopping list when I go down to visit my in-laws so I can purchase specific items that I like to use in my meals. 

I recently purchased Lindsay Nixon's new cookbook: Happy Herbivore: Light and Lean. All of the recipes in addition to being low-fat and fat-free as always are now also low calorie with specific measurements including Weight Watchers points, if you're doing that sort of thing. From her blog, Happyherbivore.com, she has made some famous black bean brownies... which I like. However, I wanted to try her new rendition of brownies that taste a little more traditional. Boy were these AMAZING!!!! If I hadn't made the recipe myself, by taste alone you would never have known that Tofu was the 1st ingredient. But boy does this little soy curd gem do the trick. Hands down these are the most delicious, moist, and decadent brownies I've ever eaten. And I've had many a brownie in my lifetime. I hope you're willing to venture out of your comfort zone a bit and give your taste buds and waistline an experience they will continue to thank you for.

Ingredients:                         Serves 9
1 package shelf stable 14-oz extra firm tofu
3 Tb. vanilla almond milk, divided
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup agave nectar
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
6 Tb. unsweetened cocoa
2 Tb. brown sugar
3/4 cup vegan (non-dairy like Ghiradelli semi-sweet) chocolate chips

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly grease (spray) and 8x8 in. baking pan
3. In a food processor or high powered blender combine the drained tofu, 2 tablespoons of almond milk, the vanilla, agave nectar, and the vinegar. Blend until there is a a smooth mixture and no visible chunks
4. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cocoa, and sugar together. Mix well.
5. Pour the blender mixture into the dry ingredients and add the remaining tablespoon of mix. The mixture should be shiny in appearance. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into the baking pan.
6. Smooth out the batter to be nearly even in pan and put in oven
7. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until set. You don't want to over bake. The brownie will firm up as it sets.
8. Let cool and then slice and serve

I topped mine with Greek style plain almond yogurt. This was so delicious and Zacchaeus kept saying yum, yum.

Check out the awesome new cookbook here. It's a new staple in my kitchen.
 http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Herbivore-Light-Lean-Low-Calorie/dp/1937856976/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390077585&sr=8-1&keywords=happy+herbivore+light+and+lean

Meatless Pot Roast

I just discovered something awesome, Seitan (cooked vital wheat gluten). It's obviously not a gluten-free food, but its totally vegan and fat free. I plan to start making recipes that use this nifty little ingredient when I crave something I used to eat with meat.
So here's how you do it and what you'll need:
Ingredients:
- 1 6.6 oz package vital wheat gluten
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup veggie broth (no-salt added)
- 2 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
-3 cups veggie broth (no salt added)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
-1 medium onion, sliced
-2 russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
-5 whole carrots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
- salt and pepper to taste
Here's how ya do it:
1. In a bowl whisk together gluten with spices. Pour on broth and sauce. Mix and knead to form a roughly shaped ball.
2. Place onions and garlic in the middle of pan. Place the gluten ball on top. Then lay potatoes and carrots around dough.
3. Pour broth over everything. Place in 1 bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for about 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 after about 45 minutes
5. After the 1 hour place dough on parchment paper lined pan and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway in. Keep the veggies cooking until dough is done.
6. Slice the loaf and place veggies on top
I made gravy out of the remaining broth by adding 1 Tbsp of cornstarch and 1 Tbsp wheat flour and whisk until thick. Then I poured it over.

Black Forest walnut pancakes

So still on a kick for pancakes I made a new recipe this morning. It's very yummy, and rather than us syrup.I topped mine with jam and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
-3/4 cup whole wheat flour
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 Tbsp baking powder
-1/8 tsp. Salt
-1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 2 Tbsp raw organic sugar
-2 Tbsp agave nectar
-1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. Sift together dry indregients
2. Mix nectar and sugar with milk til evenly distributed
3. Mix wet and dry ingeredients just until blended, then fold in walnuts
4. Let sit for 10 minutes ( this is necessary for it to rise and cook properly)
5. Make 1/4 cup size pancakes on the pan cooked on medium heat.

Cornmeal Berry Breakfast Cakes

Some mornings I just really want pancakes. Since becoming vegan I had to get creative and modify recipes to exclude the eggs but keep the flufiness and binding.
Here I've listed a couple recipes. Have fun and change up the ingredients as you want.
Cornmeal Berry Pancakes
-1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
-1.25 cups unsweetened almond milk
-1 cup ground oat flour (or half brown rice flour and half wheat flour
-1/2 cup cornmeal
-1/4 tsp. Almond extract
-1 Tbsp baking powder
-1 cup berries (frozen or fresh)
Combine all and lightly spray pan. Cook on medium (1/4 cup scoops at a time) until done.
Coconut Lime Pancakes
-1 1/2 cups ground oat flour
-2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
-zest and juice from 2 limes
-2 Tbsp. Ground flaxseed
-1/2 cup cornmeal
-2 tsp. Baking powder
-1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1. Grind oats and flaxseeds --} transfer to a bowl
2. Add remaining dry ingredients
3. Blend wet ingredients
4. Combine dry and wet ingredients
5. Heat a skillet on medium and cook
Choco-Bluberry Pancakes
-1/2 cup brown rice flour
-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
-2 Tbsp cocoa powder
-1 Tbsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- dash of salt
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
-2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
-1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
-1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
-1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. Fold wet ingredients into dry
2. Stir in berries, chips, and nuts
3. Spray pan lightly and cook 1/4 cup scoops at medium heat until done

Yummy Blueberry, Banana oatmeal

Fresh ripe fruit is so amazingly sweet that you never need to add sugar or sugar-substitute to satisfy a sweet tooth. This breakfast is a staple for me and I tend to have it at least 3 days a week. It's cheap and easy to assemble. Not to mention so satisfying. If I ever need a little more to fill me up I'll just pair it with a small bowl of fresh fruit.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water (or unsweetened vanilla flavored non-dairy milk)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (see the picture below. you can use the instant ones but they require less cook time and don't taste as good in my opinion)
• 1/4 cup raisins and/or craisins
• 1 tbsp chopped nuts ( i prefer pecans because they are a little sweet... but always make sure you do raw. roasted and salted nuts lose most of there nutritional value and healthy fat when cooked)
• 1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh rinsed blueberries
• 1 - 2  ripe bananas, sliced

Instructions:

1. Bring water and all ingredients excepts oats, bananas, and blueberries to boil
2. Reduce heat a little and add oats, stir well
3. Add blueberries and bananas, stir well
4. Allow to cook about 5 minutes stirring frequently to prevent sticking
5. Let cool a little before eating and ENJOY!!!!

So I found over the vacation a short microwave alternative for this. Simply mix everything in a bowl and nuke for 2 minutes. Stir and then go another minute.

Stuffed acorn squash

http://healthycrush.com/quinoa-stuffed-acorn-squash/
I made this the other night. I opted for the sunflower seeds. I couldn't find any raw without paying a fortune. So I used salted and roasted (it does take away from the nutritional value but it also adds a ton of flavor to the dish)

I did not use any oil. Instead just add pepper to the squash before baking a place on some parchment paper. This greatly reduces the amount of calories.

Also, I only like Tempeh or Tofu in limited amounts so I used chick peas.

I don't have tamari. But Bragg's Liquid Aminos (found at all health food stores and some grocery stores in the organic section is great) is a low sodium soy-sauce alternative that works well.

Additionally. I had to microwave the squash on each side for 3 minutes just so I could cut it. Then I microwaved about another 3 after cutting which cut the baking time in half.