Drink: Vegan 'Buh-Bye Buddha Belly' Shake

Hi Everyone,

Its been a while since my last blog recipe- I have to apologize, its been a busy few months. Brian got unexpectedly deployed, I was juggling our condo, his house, doggie-care and a 6 courses at school. My brain goes to mush even thinking about how busy I have been.

Spring is here and so is the new addiction to the gym (my long lost love) and eating lighter and healthier. After all summer is just around the corner (Halifax is still trying to get those temperatures up).

Slim down while you drink up this delicious vegan beverage.


What you will need:

1 1/2 cups Almond milk (I like original unsweetened)
1 whole nectarine sliced
handful of blueberries to taste
1 Scoop 'Sequel' Vegn complete Whole Food Health Optimizer (available at grocery stores-check natural food section)


Toss it all in a blender and pulse until smooth. To burn a few calories while you wait you could do a little shimmy around your kitchen, while your drink dances along with you in the blender. When its done it froths up into a delightful soft green.

Pour into a tall glass- cheers to a slimmer figure and a happier you!

Entree Starter or Side: Candy Cane Beat salad with grilled veggies and goats cheese

Entrée, Starter or Side

Candy Cane Beat Salad with grilled veggies and goats cheese

What you will need:

4 medium sized candy cane beats (these guys are brilliantly pretty)

2 handfuls cheery tomatoes

Quarter white/Spanish onion sliced

1 green zucchini, peeled and thinly sliced

1 yellow zucchini, peeled and thinly sliced

Half a red bell pepper, cut into large chunks or slices

½ Bag of baby spinach

4 large medallions of goats cheese (disk shapes)

3 TBS Olive oil

1TBS cayenne pepper

Salt & Pepper to taste

Dressing of choice *(I used maple balsamic dressing)

Directions:

Scrub down beats with vegetable scrubber, or with clean wet rag. Cut off top and bottom of beat salvaging as much of the body as you can to slice. Slice beats in medium thickness disks so they will withstand boiling without falling apart.

Bring water in a soup pot to boil; just enough water to cover beats (using full pot of water just takes longer to boil and risks boiling over, and hello it’s wasteful!!! J) Add 1 TBS olive oil, Cayenne pepper and salt to taste into water. Boil beats until fork slides easily through flesh or el dente, (*I don’t like eating mushy food) drain away water and fill pot with cold water then set aside on counter or in sink so beats don’t continue to cook.

Heat up grill pan, BBQ, Oven or in my case Panini grill for grilling your veggies. Grill (BBQ or Bake; on baking sheet) onion, zucchini, and red bell pepper, adding 2 TBS olive oil so it won’t stick to Panini grill. Grill for aprox. 10 minutes until Zucchini are almost falling apart.

Arrange clean, dry baby spinach leaves in two pasta bowls or on plates, cut cherry tomatoes in half’s and arrange evenly on top of spinach. Arrange goats cheese medallions (as a whole disks or crumble), then top with warm grilled veggies, and finish with drained cooled beats slices. Finish with the dressing of your choice and pepper to taste.

Something so magical about these guys, like Dr. Seuss, or Willy Wanka invented them.

Layer warm veggies on top of your goats cheese; it melts and blankets your spinach to perfection!

YUM!!!!!

Dessert: Festive Pumpkin Pie [Gluten Free/Egg Free/Dairy Free]

Festive Pumpkin Pie [Gluten Free/Egg Free/Dairy Free]

I know what your thinking....what IS in it then?....check it out and see

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose baking flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (Organic)

2 tablespoons vanilla soy creamer (or other milk substitute)

             

Pie Filling:

2 cups canned pumpkin

1 cup french vanilla soy creamer

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon dark corn syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Stir together all purpose gluten-free flour and 1 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and soy creamer/whipped milk until creamy. Pour oil mixture into flour mixture, stir with fork until blended. Pat the crust into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven. Remove and set aside.

Decrease oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place pumpkin, soy creamer, brown sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves in a blender. Blend until combined. Pour into prebaked piecrust. Place foil around the edges of the piecrust and bake for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean.

Cool pie on counter for 2 hours then refrigerate overnight before serving.

Alternate: You can also make these guys in little ramekins, easy for kids, lunches, or personal size desserts 

Entree or Side: Three Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto

 Three Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto 


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Skill level: Intermediate-Advanced


What you will need:

6 cups Vegetable broth stock

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
12-18 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
8 whole or sliced chanterelle mushrooms

2 shallots, diced (or white onion cut however you want)

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (I like chardonnay or German Riesling)

Kosher/rock salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 TBS butter

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or other sharp cheese you like)

Directions:

In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the portobello and white mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Spread whole or sliced chanterelle mushrooms on a baking sheet and lightly salt, bake at 350 for the entire time it takes you to make the risotto. The desired effect is a crispy dried mushroom to add as garnish.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale translucent, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed.

Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 30 minutes.

Take crispy chanterelles out of the oven and set aside.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with crispy chanterelles

Supposted to serve 6 but I divide into 4 portions

Topping or sauce: Blueberry Maple Syrup

Blueberry Maple Syrup 


What you will need:


2 cups Maple Syrup
2 cups Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 TBS Vanilla extract (I stock organic- tastes more natural)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg or all spice 


Directions:


Heat a sauce pot over low-medium heat.
Add blueberries and vanilla extract, keep the berries moving for 5 minutes and gradually reduce to low heat. Add cinnamon and nutmeg, let the spices hang out with the blueberries mixture for a few minutes and then add the maple syrup. The longer you can simmer this the more sticky and concentrated it will become, I like to leave it on low for 15-30 minutes but if you don't have time or are very hungry it will still taste great after just another 10 minutes.


Remove from heat and ladle over pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cakes, or pies. (served over my homemade whole wheat waffles with large mug of tea) YUM! 


Tip: If you want to keep your syrup, transfer into container with screw top lid. Lasts 2-3 weeks in the fridge.  If you like more blueberries and less syrup cut one full cup of syrup from the recipe. 

Cupcakes: Easy white or confetti cupcakes

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

What you will need:

            1/2 cup butter, softened

            1 cup white sugar

            2 eggs (or egg substitute if your vego)

            1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract (organic is important-taste is better)

            1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

            2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

            1/4 teaspoon salt

            2/3 cup milk substitute (vanilla almond breeze)

            24 flat bottomed ice cream cones

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

Cream butter and sugar together well in mixing bowl. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla. Measure flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. Stir. Add milk to butter mixture in 2 parts alternately with flour mixture in 3 parts, beginning and ending with flour

Fill cones about 3/4 full leaving the batter 1/2 inch from top. Place filled cones on a baking tray.

Bake in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Wait for the cupcakes to cool completely. You can use regular or cream cheese icing, if you pipe it on, add sprinkles or confetti before the icing hardens, and then let air dry for over 2 hrs for firm peaks.  

Appetizers, Crackers: Zesty Cheese crackers

 ZESTY CHEESE CRACKERS

What you will need:

1 cup butter

8 oz. pkg. Imperial Cheese (sharp cold pack cheddar cheese)

Dash of salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

¼ tsp. worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 ½ cups flour

4 cups Rice Krispies

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350

In a large mixing bowl Cream butter and cheese together. Add seasonings.  Beat in flour (Or mix/crush by hand). Stir in Rice Krispies cereal.  Mix well. 

Shape mixture into pin pong ball sized balls. 

Press down with a fork or your finger, which has been dipped in cold water.  Bake at 350^o F (180^oC) for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.  Makes about 2 dozen.

  

Leftovers re-imagined: Vegetable Curry with White rice towers

Vegetable curry with white rice towers

 

What you will need:

Leftovers in this case vegetable curry (or stir fry, tofu, or anything you want to add rice and curry sauce to)

White, or brown or basmati rice (prepare rice by package instructions. My rice cooker took two measures of rice to four measures of water)

1 Cup Apple sauce

1 quarter or segment of white onion with root attached

2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS pure Ginger (from tube or jar)
1 TBS cilantro (dried, from tube or frozen shaker box)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin

2-3 bay leaves (remember to take these bad boys out before you are done)

4-6 fresh thyme sprigs

2-3 cups vegetable stock

½ cup white wine (optional)

Handy tool:

Cuisipro Scoop and Stack Ice Cream Scoop work on ice cream, shapes, cookies, tea biscuits, and YES EVEN RICE into compact towers. See 3^rd photo Credit: Cusipro.com

http://FrozenTreats.cuisipro.com/en/

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisipro-Scoop-Stack-Cream-Green/dp/B00152MIGQ

Quick tip:

If you are just starting to stock your pantry or spice cabinet and want a quick and dirty trick for Indian cooking pick up ‘Garam Masala’ – a mix of cinnamon, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and nutmeg – a North Indian all spice of sorts. You won’t regret it! This singular spice mix could have substituted in here for most of the spices listed as one step. YAY for simplicity.

Directions:

Add oil to a sauce or soup pot and heat over medium heat. Add quarter of white onion (TIP: remove peel but keep part of root attached so it doesn’t separate, you want the onion flavor but not the actual onion, you will be taking this guy out when you remove the bay leaves)

After the onion has simmered in the oil for 2-ish minutes reduce heat add apple sauce, spices and mix together with white wine. Add vegetable stock gradually, sprigs of thyme and bay leaves.

Let sauce simmer 10 minutes.

Pre-heat plates or pasta bowls in microwave and unplug rice cooker or remove inner bowl. Heat up leftovers in microwave on high for 5-6 minutes. Use ice cream scoop or scoop and stack tool and arrange two balls or towers of rice per plate. Spoon leftover around or on top of rice.

Remove bay leaves, thyme springs and onion segment from sauce. Ladle or pour sauce over each plate of leftovers and rice. Garnish with basil or sprigs of thyme as seen in picture. Serve immediately. 

Soup: Italian Minestrone

Soup: Italian Minestrone


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner 

What you will need:

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 cups chopped celery

5 carrots, sliced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1/2 cup red wine (optional)

1 cup canned kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can green beans

2 cups baby spinach, rinsed

3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup seashell pasta (Try Jumbo shells if you like more stuff than broth)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3

minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1

to 2 minutes.

Add broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add

red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, the longer the better.

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook el

            dente. Drain water and set aside. (If you want faster preparation cook pasta while you are making soup)

            

            Once soup is heated through add cooked pasta to soup. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Drizzle with olive oil, top with chopped basil and serve HOT!

Dip: White bean, parmesan, and oven roasted garlic

White bean Dip

What you will need:

Whole head of garlic

16 oz Can of navy white beans

6 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs sweetener (or sugar)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tps Cayenne pepper

1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut top and bottom off garlic head; peel off skins and place cloves in tinfoil pouch drizzle with 2 Tbs olive oil season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and cloves fall apart with fork.

Rinse navy beans with cold water, drain and place in food processor. Add in roasted garlic, drizzle in remaining 4 Tbs olive oil. Add 2 tps cayenne pepper, sweetener and Parmesan cheese. Pulse on high for 3-5 minutes until mostly smooth.

Transfer mixture into casserole dish and mix in most of the cheddar cheese and sprinkle small amount on top. Bake for 10 minutes until top is bubbly

Serve with chips, crackers and cut vegetables.