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

Oat Pumpkin Coconut (Flour) Waffles

Ingredients

Wet

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (i used coconut)
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed

Dry

• 1 1/4 cup oat flour, ground 1st
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Preheat waffle iron and lightly spray with cooking spray
2. Combine dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls
3. Mix all together
4. Pour in batches based upon waffle iron size
5. Cook until crisp
6. Top with what you like

Gluten Free Flour Blends

I have been experimenting with different gluten free flour blends because of various reasons. Mostly because I like the challenge and the different flavors that come from using non-wheat flours.

Here are 2 of the current blends I have made up in my pantry. Each mix yields about 4 cups.

Double Rice Flour Blend

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 1 cup potato starch
• 2 tsp. xantham gum

Corn-Rice-Sorghum Flour Blend

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup corn flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 1 cup potato starch
• 2 tsp. xantham gum

Feel free to sub together any different flours you might like. The key thing is to have an equal ratio of flour to starch and to always use a gum in the amounts of 1 tsp. per 2 cup mix.

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

Low-Fat Peanut Butter Chocolate Green Smoothie

I recently made an appliance purchase that I could not have been happier about, the Nutribullet. This little wonder is fairly inexpensive (especially since I had Christmas gift cards). I bet I use it 5 or more times a week. It's especially great when I don't have to pull out my bigger and harder to clean food processor...also I great tool that I use often.

When it comes to smoothies, the Nutribullet can't be beat. Plus it makes the product as uniform as a juice blend but I don't waste any pulp, ergo, I don't lose any fiber. I do still love my Breville juicer, but I always cringe when I put close to a pound of pulp down the disposal and am left with maybe 8 oz. of juice. But anyway back to my point.... Green smoothies. I've experimented with many types and consistently find that spinach is the only green that doesn't over power the sweetness I aim to include.

Plus I've had a bit of a cold today and yesterday which is making me somewhat dizzy and lethargic. So I figured every meal I had today would be super charged with nutrition.

Ingredients

• 1 handful or two baby spinach
• 2 Tb. peanut flour (you could use 1 Tb. natural smooth Peanut butter, but this would make it higher in fat)
• 1 Tb. cocoa powder
• 1 frozen banana, broke into a couple smaller pieces
• 1 cup unsweetened almond/coconut blend milk

Instructions

1.   Add all ingredients to the large bullet cup and screw on the extractor attachment
2. Run the bullet for about 10 seconds
3. Put on the handle attachment
4. Enjoy!

Mexican Polenta Pizza

I'm always looking for ways to incorporate new types of pizza into my life. After all, pizza is my favorite food and it's so easy for a toddler to eat!

Ingredients

Crust
2 1/2 cups water
2 tsp. taco seasoning (make sure it's dairy free)
3/4 cup coarse ground cornmeal, grits, or polenta

Sauce
1 cup vegetarian fat free refried beans
2 Tb. vegan sour cream
2 Tb. hot picante sauce
1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes

Topping
1/2 cup lentil taco meat * (optional, can sub with black beans)
1/2 diced zucchini
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup vegan cheddar shreds
1 handful crushed tortilla strips

Lentil Taco Meat
1 cup cooked lentils
2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 Tb. ketchup (make sure there is no high fructose corn syrup)
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. low sodium soy sauce

Instuctions
Make crust
1. Bring water to boil with taco seasoning
2. Slowly add in polenta while whisking and continue to whisk in boiling water for 5 minutes until thick and creamy
3. Spread mixture evenly into a parchment paper lined rectangle cake pan
4. Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes and then place in freezer for 20 minutes to cool and set (30 if you prefer the fridge over the freezer)

Make Lentil Taco "Meat"
1. While the crust is cooling cook lentils. Mix 1/2 cups dry rinsed lentils with 1 cup warm water and allow to simmer in a covered pot for about 15 minutes until lentils are tender.
2. Transfer to a food processor or blender and pulse to desired consistency
3. Place in a bowl and toss with other "meat" ingredients. Set aside

Make Sauce
1. While the lentils are cooking, place all sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend together.
2. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Bring it all together
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Slide crust and parchment paper out of cake pan and onto a cookie sheet, bake for 30 minutes
3. Remove the crust from oven and spread sauce on top evenly ( you will definitely have leftover sauce, use it as bean tip or in a bean enchilada later)
4. Top with remaining toppings and bake for another 15-20 minutes
5. Once out of oven immediately slide the paper and pizza onto a cookie sheet otherwise it builds up moisture underneath and gets soggy
6. Slice and enjoy!

Note: this is a very soft crust, it will not taste like the normal pizza dough you are probably used to. Also feel free to experiment with sauces, toppings, and spices!

Black Bean Salad Bowl

So my husband Jordan is the one who turned me on to Pinterest. And even though I am way more of a "foodie" than him, he likes to send me recipes to try and make that will cater to his likes. You see, he does not like fake meat or tofu and often I have to make seperate batches of my meals to ensure we all get dinner. However, this little gem that was modified from the food network's website worked for the whole family. Of course Franklynn isn't quite ready for solids, but when mommy is nourished so is he. Now that we are vegan sometimes it requires creativity to add large doses of protein into our meal routines. But not with this one. The black beans are high in protein and our favorite bean. Plus this recipe requires minimal cooking and most items you will have on hand in your fridge and pantry carnivore, omnivore, and herbivore alike.

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 cup crushed tortilla chips (separated into 2 bowls)
1 cup shredded bib lettuce (separated and placed on top of tortilla chips)

Mixture:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small orange bell pepper, diced
1 tsp. olive oil (or water)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small avocado, peeled and diced

Dressing:
2 tsp minced garlic
Juice squeezed from 1 small lime
1 tsp of lime zest
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder

Instructions.
1. Warm skillet with olive oil and add onions and bell pepper, cook over medium until they soften
2. Add the black beans, corn, and salt & pepper, stir and cook until heated through
3. Transfer to a bowl
4. Add in the cherry tomatoes and the dressing mixture. Mix everything well
5. Split the mixture over the 2 tortilla/salad bowls
6. Top each bowl with the diced avocado
7. Enjoy

Gluten-Free Veggie Pizza

I've tried making my own vegan crust for a while but have never been happy, hence why I decided to use this pre-made kit from Bob's Red Mill. Plus its easy to find in the organic section of any grocery store.
I'll post a link a little later.
Crust:
1. Follow instructions on package; cut in 1/2 for 1 pizza
2. Make a flax egg to replace egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp warm water, allowed to set for a few minutes)
3. Spray pizza pan lightly with cooking spray and dust with a little cornmeal
4. Again follow instructions
Topping:
- 1 roma tomato, chopped
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1/4 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup fresh white mushrooms, chopped
1. Place desired amount of low sugar pasta sauce on crust
2. Mix all veggies in a bowl and pour on top of pasta
3. Top with some soy mozzarella cheese (optional)
Feel free to mix this up with toppings and I'll be posting new ideas soon.

Chickpea Taco Salad

Mine turned out a bit too spicy so I made a few minor modifications before putting the recipe on here.
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
-2 tsp lemon juice
-1 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos ( or low sodium soy sauce)
-1 tsp ground cumin
-1 tsp pepper
-1/2 tsp paprika
-1/4 tsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp onion powder
-1 Tbsp chili powder
-1/4 tsp oregano
Make the paste (everything except peas). Pour peas and paste in a ziplock bag. Seal and shake around until peas are completely covered.
Place peas on parchment paper and bake for 25 min at 400 degrees.
Place chips out on plate. Top with 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce. Place 1/2 peas mixture on lettuce and then top with quacamole, salsa, and olives.





If you'd like to try this recipe or many others check out this book.

Teriyaki chickpeas with mango/pineapple salsa

One of my favorite and easy dinners to make.
Mango/Pineapple Salsa
1 mango diced
1 6oz can crushed pineapple (in juice not syrup), drained
1/3 red onion, diced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Mix all together and refridgerate
Chickpea Teriyaki
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup low sodium Teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp raw sugar
- mix all in a cold pan and let marinate for 10 minutes
- turn on heat and cook covered ~ 5 min until liquid absorbed
The Whole Shebang
- place 1 cup cooked brown rice in bowl
- cover with a generous amount of salsa
- place half of the chick pea mix on top.... Enjoy!!

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

Beany Enchiladas

If you look at my previous post you can see how the enchiladas are supposed to look at the end. I've made some modifications that you can basically make from stuff in your kitchen. I know most people don't go to the health food store so they won't have access to TVP.

Plus tonight I brought the new and improved enchiladas to a potluck with my Sunday school class this evening.  They were a big hit and I had a few ladies ask me for the recipe, so of course I'm putting the recipe on here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 cup cooked brown rice ( I use instant because it's way faster)
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 can reduced sodium black beans, well rinsed
• 1/2 can fat-free refried beans
• 1 small can sliced olives
• 1/8 shredded non-dairy cheese (optional)
• 1 - 2 cans of green enchilada sauce
• 10 - 12 corn tortillas

Instructions

1. Cook rice
2. Saute mushrooms, onions, and rotel in the water until the onions are opaque
3. Add the saute mix to the rice
4. Add in beans and mix until all is uniform on low heat
5. Heat corn tortillas in microwave for about 30 seconds 
6. Spoon mixture into tortillas and roll
7. Pour half a can of enchilada sauce in a baking dish
8. Place the rolled tortillas in dish until packed and pour remaining sauce over. Also sprinkle cheese and olives on top
9. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes
10. Enjoy!!!! 

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.

Vegetarian Enchiladas with Dairy-Free Cheese

This is first of many recipes I will provide. Feel free to make alterations as you've needed them. You can do dairy but I've opted to cut it out of my life due to the high calories and cholesterol. I also don't add oil to my recipes so be sure to use non stick pans and glass baking dishes if available

Filling:

1 Cup Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)* found at any health food store
1/2 a pack standard taco seasoning
3/4 vegetable stock or water
1 Cup cooked wild rice or brown rice
1/2 chopped white mushrooms
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 Medium tomato chopped
1 cup  fresh spinach chopped
1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 - 2 tbsp water, or more if needed to prevent sticking

Remaining Ingredients:

10 - 12 corn tortillas ( dry to avoid any that have oil added, you want to keep it whole grain if possible
1 small can slice olives, drained and rinsed to cut out added sodium
1 can green enchilada sauce, look for low sodium if applicable
1/2 cup grated non-dairy cheddar cheese alternative
10 to 12 toothpicks, optional


Instructions:
1. Heat the vegetable stock or water in microwave for 2 minutes. Add the TVP mix until no more dry granules are present then let set until needed.  You want to give the TVP time to rehydrate.

2. Saute all the veggies from filling on medium-high heat with the water. Stir as needed. Continue until the onion becomes translucent.
3. Add the rehydrated TVP to pan and reduce heat to medium. Mix well
4. Add the taco seasoning and maybe 1 tbsp more of water and mix well.
5. Remove from heat and place in a medium bowl. Add the cooked rice and mix. Let this sit at room temperature until cool enough to touch. You don't want to burn your fingers while trying to roll the tortillas
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Pour a small layer of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of an 11 x 9 glass baking dish.
8. Warm tortillas in microwave for about 30 seconds, if they're warm they tend to hold together better.
9. Place some of the filling in the middle of tortilla spreading all the way across and roll up. Use a toothpick for added seal and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Continue until all filling is used. You may need to add a few more tortillas depending on how much filling you put in each.
10. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas trying to make sure that all are covered
11.  Sprinkle the dish with the olives and cheese and place uncovered in oven
12. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the tops of tortillas brown.
13.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving and Enjoy!!!!!


* TVP reminds me a lot of finely ground beef or ground turkey when its cooked. I had some for another recipe and this is where I got the idea to make TVP tacos. They were good but I thought they'd better serve as enchiladas and boy was I happy. Copy and paste the site below if you want to see what it looks like
http://www.bobsredmill.com/tvp-textured-veg._protein.html