Vegan Chocolate Macaroons

My father used to eat macaroons, the brand was Manischewitz and they came in a foil container.  My father enjoyed them but I am sure it's safe to say organic homemade macaroons are better!

*recipe adapted from oh she glows

Ingredients:

1 organic banana, finely mashed

1/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted 

1/4 cup organic maple syrup

1/2 t organic pure vanilla extract 

5 T organic raw cacao

1 1/2 cups organic unsweetened shredded coconut 

Sea salt to taste

Method:

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

Mash banana in a medium sized mixing bowl until completely smooth.  Stir in oil, maple syrup, and extract.

Mix in the cacao, shredded coconut, and salt.

Using an ice cream scooper, scoop up mixture and place on lined baking sheet.

Place in freezer for 20 minutes, or until firm.  Store in freezer until ready to eat.

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Vegan Peas and Carrots with Jamaican Curry

This recipe comes from the cookbook, vedge.  This cookbook is a must have for anyone who loves vegetables.  It is filled with creative and simple recipes that can be enjoyed any day of the week.

I did make a few changes to the original recipe though.  The recipe called for cumin, curry, and allspice. I didn't have cumin on hand, so I used turmeric instead, and omitted the allspice.  I also left out the 1/2 t light brown sugar, and used all organic ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic peas, I used frozen

1 pound Thumbelina carrots, peeled - I used organic rainbow carrots and cut them into 3" length pieces

4 T canola oil - I used organic extra virgin olive oil

1 t salt

1 t black pepper

1 T organic curry powder

1 T organic turmeric 

3/4 cup organic vegetable stock - I used low sodium vegetable stock

1/2 cup organic coconut milk

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

Wash and dry carrots, chop each into 3" long pieces.

In a large bowl, toss carrots in 2 T oil, salt, and pepper.  Spread them on the prepared cooking sheet and roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

While carrots are roasting, heat 2 T of oil over high heat in a cast iron skillet.  Add curry and turmeric.  Let spices sizzle in the oil for 30 seconds.  Stir in the stock and coconut milk.  Let simmer for 5 minutes; stir in peas and roasted carrots.

We enjoyed the curry over rice.

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Vegan and Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

My husband has dealt with headaches for many years.  We didn't know if the cause was from stress, weather, food, or a medical condition.  A week ago, I believe we have found the cause.  Mold!  Not mold in our home but mold in food.

Ever hear of mycotoxins?  According to the magazine, Live Better Naturally, Mycotoxins are poisonous chemical compounds produced by certain fungi.  These compounds exacerbate your sinuses! Some of the foods to avoid are; peanuts, corn, wheat, barley, sugar, alcohol, aged cheese, mushrooms, and other fungi.

This information was mind blowing!  My husband would have a horrible headache at least 4 times a week.  Since avoiding these foods listed above, he's had zero headaches in the last week.  It's remarkable, but it makes sense; corn and wheat can be stored for up to a year before it is used.  During that long storage time, the corn and wheat are growing mold.  By the time you eat that corn chip, tortilla shell, or that slice of bread it could be laced with mold that you can not see. 

If you are plagued with headaches, look into a mold free diet.  Even though I don't suffer from chronic headaches, I am also staying away from these foods.  Who wants to eat mold?!

I have been baking gluten free on and off for a couple of years now, first trying it to see if it would help my psarioss.  Now, I will be more diligent in my gluten free baking to help my husband.

This gluten free chocolate cake is super moist and doesn't leave that "gluten free" flour aftertaste in your mouth like some cake recipes can.  It's so good you don't need frosting!  Which also helps you cut out a lot of sugar. 

You will also want to avoid baking powder which has corn in it. To do this in recipes, subsitute 1/4 t baking soda for every 1 t baking powder.  You will also need to use an acid, I use lemon juice. The amount of acid is 1/2 t for every 1/4 t baking soda.

Ingredients:

1 cup Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten free flour

3/4 t baking soda 

1/2 cup organic turbinado sugar

1/2 cup organic coconut oil

1 1/2 T organic lemon juice

1/4 cup water 

1 t organic pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup organic 100% cacao chips

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

Line a 9"x9" squared baking pan with unbleached parchment paper.

In a small pot, melt coconut oil and chocolate chips. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda.  Add melted coconut and chocolate mixture, extract, lemon juice, and water.  Combine until smooth; pour into baking pan and bake 45-50 minutes.

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Vegan Nonpareils Candies

If you've never made chocolate candy before, this is a great time to start.  Other than making chocolate covered peanuts, which I also have a recipe for on my blog, this is the next easy peasy chocolate candy you can make.  Make a couple of batches for your Valentines Day gifts.  Gift the nonpareils in a heart shaped box, in a tin, or a simple glass jar with a red bow.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic 70% semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup organic 100% cacao chips

1/2 t organic vegan shortening

Vegan white nonpareils 

Method:

Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

Melt chocolate and shortening together until smooth, remove from heat.

I like to use a grapefruit spoon for this step. The pointy spoon guides the chocolate off nicely.  If you don't have one you can use a teaspoon.  Scoop up a nickel amount of melted chocolate and gently let it fall onto the parchment paper forming a circle.  Continue until all chocolate is used up.  You'll want to do this step pretty fast so the chocolate doesn't set up on you.  If it does the candy will not stick.

Drop the nonpareils into each circle of chocolate.  How much candy you use is up to you.

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Totes McOats Smoothie

Since I have been taking walks first thing every cold winter morning, I wanted to try some oatmeal protein in today's green drink. So, the Totes McOats Smoothie was born.

Ingredients:
1 organic banana
2 organic oranges (seedless, peeled & quartered)
2 T organic quick oats
1/4 cup organic shredded coconut
1/4 t organic matcha powder
4 ounces organic hemp milk
4 ounces filtered water
3/4 cup organic kale

Add the ingredients in the above order into a Vitamix or high speed blender. Blend from low to high, spending 30 seconds on the highest speed.

Enjoy!

This post was written by guest blogger, Jeff.

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Organic Good Morning Sunshine Grapefruit Juice

Normally I start my day having a smoothie, but to day is a dreary, cold, damp, and cloudy day.  I needed to make my own sun.  This juice is light, bright, and a cheerful drink to start my day.

So I present to you my good morning sunshine juice!

Ingredients:

1 large organic grapefruit, peeled and quartered 

1 small organic orange, peeled and quartered 

2 cups filtered water

1 cup ice

Place all ingredients into your Vitamix. Start on speed 1 continue to 10, then to high for 10 seconds.

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Vegan Biscuits and Gravy

If there ever was a winter breakfast, biscuits and gravy has to be it.  Flaky biscuits covered in warm gravy and delicious vegan sausage. Come on! Who could resist that!

Ingredients for biscuits:

2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T non-aluminum, non-GMO baking powder 

1 t sea salt 

1/2 t organic pure cane sugar 

1 cup non-dairy milk

4 T vegan butter, cold and cut into small pieces 

1 t organic onion powder 

1 t organic garlic powder 

1/4 t organic dried dill

Ingredients for gravy:

1/4 cup organic onion, chopped

1/2 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour 

4 t nutritional yeast

2 cups water 

1 T organic minced garlic

1 t organic oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 T organic oil

8 links of Fieldroast breakfast sausage, cut into bite sized pieces.

Method for making biscuits:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Pour in milk and combine until dough forms.  Using a fork or your hands incorporate the butter; leave small bits of butter in the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough.  Cut out biscuits using a biscuit cutter.

Place biscuits on the lined baking sheet, sprinkle the tops with dill and bake 20 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. While biscuits are baking start the gravy.

Method for making gravy:

Cook sausage in oil until nicely browned, turn off heat and leave in skillet until needed.

Place onions, garlic, and oil into a medium sized saucepan.  Cook over a medium flame until onions are tender.

Stir in the flour and yeast.  Add the water 1 cup at a time.  Add the second cup of water when the gravy starts to become thick.  Season gravy with the oregano, salt, and pepper.  Cook over low flame until bubbly; add the cooked sausage and stir until combined.

Place 3 biscuits on a plate and spoon gravy over all biscuits. 

Now sit down and savor the best vegan breakfast ever!

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Vegan Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie

Valentines Day is coming!  You know what that means.  Chocolate!  I can not live without chocolate; sounds extreme I know, but it's the truth!

In an effort to reduce my eating of chocolate everyday, if not all day, I have turned to the smoothie!

Thank goodness for cacao nutritional powder; that's the stuff that kicks my smoothies into chocolate bliss.  The rich taste of cacao greatly satisfies my chocolate cravings.

Ok, back to Valentines Day!

Valentines Day morning slip into your kitchen, blend up this chocolatey cherry bliss of a smoothie and surprise your loved ones with breakfast in bed!

Ingredients:

1 cup organic hemp milk

1 cup organic frozen cherries

1 large organic bananas

2 T organic raw cacao nutritional powder

1 cup ice

Method:

Place ingredients into blender in the order above and blend until smooth.

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Vegan Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

Mother Nature has given us another cold and snowy day.  Which means it's the perfect time to bake treats for my family.  Nothing makes a home more of a home than the sweet smell of cookies baking in the oven.

Ingredients for the cookie dough:

2/3 cup organic coconut oil

3/4 cup organic brown sugar 

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar 

2 t organic dark molasses 

1/4 cup organic hemp milk

1 3/4 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups organic quick oats

1 t baking soda

1/2 t organic pumpkin spice

1/2 t sea salt 

Ingredients for the filling:

1 stick vegan butter, softened 

4 T vegan shortening 

2 cups organic powdered sugar

1 t organic pure vanilla extract 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 large baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugars, molasses, extract, and hemp milk.

To that, add the flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and sea salt.  Combine until dough forms.

Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, scoop out dough and place on lined baking sheets.  Flatten out each cookie slightly by using the palm of your hand before baking.

Bake for 7-8 minutes.  Let cookies cool on wire racks before filling.

Method for filling:

In a large bowl, fully combine the butter and shortening until smooth.  You can do this with a fork or a hand mixer.  Add the powdered sugar and extract; continue mixing until the filling is thick and smooth.

Method for assembly:

Turn half of the cookies flat side up, place 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling on each; top with another cookie flat side down.  Gently press cookies together to press out the filling.

Store cookies in a well sealed container.

*Recipe adapted from The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur.

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Vegan Light Rye Rolls

Rye bread was a staple in my home when I was growing up.  The bread was mostly store bought, which sufficed until we could get to our favorite deli bakery.  I remember being intimidated by the hussle and bustle of the bakery.  My mom would take a number and we would wait.  While trying not to get sucked into the moving crowd of people, I would watch the bakery workers behind the counter as they whizzed about grabbing pastries, cookies, brownies, bagels, and of course rye bread.  Eventually, our number would be called and my mom went into action.  If you've never been to a traditional jewish deli/bakery, let me give you a couple of tips.  First, know what you want to order before it is your turn.  Second, say it loud and clear, and step aside.  My mom was good at ordering.  Confidently she would order, large seeded rye, sliced.  It was always an adventure!  The best part, is when we got into the car to go home, we would break open that bag of rye bread and enjoy the taste of baked perfection.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Bee Free Honee

1/4 cup organic light molasses 

2 t sea salt

2 T vegan butter

3 T organic caraway seeds

1 cup boling water

2 packages of yeast

3/4 cup warm water

2 cups organic rye flour

3 1/2 - 4 cups organic all-purpose flour

Method:

Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set-aside.

Place Honee, molasses, salt, butter, caraway seeds, and boling water in a small bowl.  Stir until honey dissolves, set aside and let cool.

Add yeast to mixing bowl, pour in warm water, let sit for 5 minutes.

Add lukewarm Honee mixture, rye flour, and 1 cup all-purpose flour.  Using the dough hook, mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

Add remaining flour and mix for another 4 minutes.  The sides of the bowl should come clean of the dough.  

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal balls of dough.  Shape into balls and place on lined baking sheet.  Cover again and let rise for another 45 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake rolls for 30-45 minutes.

*recipe adapted from KitchenAid

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Vegan Banana Split Smoothie

  

Waking up and having an ice cream banana split in the morning might be frowned upon by most.  So, if you're craving a banana split in the morning, have it in the form of a smoothie!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic hemp milk

1 organic banana 

1/2 cup organic strawberries, frozen 

1/2 cup organic pineapple 

2 T organic cacao nutritional powder

1/2 cup ice

Blend until smooth in a Vitamix or high powdered blender.

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Vegan Avocado and Tempeh Sandwich

Avocado, tomato, and tempeh the dynamic trio!

Warm tempeh meets the cool tomato and creamy avocado, perfection!

Ingredients:

Yields 3 sandwiches 

1 package of organic tempeh, cut into thin slices 

2 medium organic tomatoes, sliced thick

2 organic avocados, sliced

6 slices of organic bread of choice

2 T organic extra virgin olive oil

1 T organic garlic powder 

1 T organic onion powder 

1 T organic dried parsley 

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat 1 T of oil over medium flame in a cast iron skillet.  

In a medium sized bowl, place sliced tempeh, 1 T of oil, and spices.  Gently mix, making sure each slice of tempeh is coated with the spices.  Cook tempeh until each side is golden brown. 

In the meantime, slice tomatoes and avocados.

Assembly:

Take 1 slice of bread, layer tempeh, tomato, avocado; sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, and top with another slice of bread. Repeat!

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Green-Tea/Brown-Rice Smoothie

The brown rice was staring me in the face, leftover from last night's dinner. I just had to try some in a smoothie. I think the brown rice added a wonderful sweetness to this ultra-green drink.

Green-Tea/Brown-Rice Smoothie:

1 organic banana

2/3 cup frozen organic strawberries

4 ounces organic hemp milk

4 ounces filtered water

1/2 cup organic brown rice (cooked, it definitely must be cooked)

1/2 t organic matcha powder

1 cup organic kale (chopped)

1/3 cup organic spinach (fresh)

I feel that a Vitamix, or the like, is necessary for this one in order to blend in the rice. Add the ingredients in the above order; mix slowly from low speed to high. Mix for 30-40 seconds on high speed.

Cheers!

This post was written by guest blogger Jeff.

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The Bloody Green Mary Smoothie

If you are not already a Straight-Edge Vegan, New Years Day is the perfect time to start. For this smoothie, I tried to come up with a very healthy green drink with a spicy zip to it. Hope you enjoy it!

The Bloody Green Mary Smoothie:

2 organic carrots, peeled and sliced into 1" pieces
2 organic celery stalks, cut into 2" pieces
1 organic tomato, cut into quarters
1 leaf organic red kale
1 leaf organic green kale
1/4 cup organic pea shoots
1/3 cup organic spinach leaves
4 ounces organic apple juice
4 ounces filtered water
juice from 1/2 of an organic lemon
1/2 t organic turmeric
1/4 t organic curry powder
1/2 t organic chili flakes (smoked)
2 organic cardamon seeds
1/8 t fresh ground organic pepper
1/4 t organic onion powder

In a high speed blender or Vitamix combine the ingredients in the above order. Mix slowly from low to high speed, spending 20-30 seconds on high.

To your health!
Cheers!

This post was written by guest blogger Jeff.

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