Green Chilaquiles

Finally! My first authentic Mexican recipe. Kinda funny that I waited until I was visiting Iowa for Christmas, but I wanted my home grocery store where I can read everything and be absolutely sure what I'm buying. (I've had more than a few failures in locating items in my Mexico City grocery store). So, I've finally gotten around to making a homemade rendition of my absolute favorite Mexican dish! Chilaquiles are a popular breakfast food, so this recipe will be filed under the breakfast category, but tonight for me they were dinner :) De-freaking-licious. I heart chilaquiles. There are several ways of preparing chilaquiles--for one you can make them with a red or a green sauce (the ones here are made with green sauce, they're less spicy), it's also popular to make them with eggs and/or shredded chicken, if you're not a vegan. The recipe you'll find here, of course, is vegan. They can be made spicier by adding more serrano peppers to the sauce, if you like, but two peppers are usually enough for those not accustomed to the uber spicy Mexican food. Here is your homemade green chilaquiles recipe!

Ingredients:

Corn tortillas (I recommend homemade, since they're tasty and easy, but you can find good ones at the store as well. Regardless, let them sit out for a few hours or overnight to dry out a bit.)

Refried black beans (Or or they don't exist in your store, as is the case in central Iowa, make them at home by draining a can of black beans and whipping them up in the blender.)

Vegan sour cream

Vegan shredded cheese (Daiya dairy-free mozzarella style is my favorite)


For the green sauce:

1 pound tomatillos

2 serrano chile peppers

1/8 - 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup vegetable broth

1/2 white onion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Chop tomatillos in half, and place in foil-covered baking dish, along with whole serrano chile peppers. Roast in oven for about 25 minutes.

While the tomatillos and serranos are roasting, cut or rip the corn tortillas in to bite-sized bits. Coat a large frying pan in 1/8 inch vegetable oil, and fry the tortillas over medium-high heat until they are a golden color. Remove from heat, pat dry, and set aside.

Roughly chop the white onion and sautee in hot oil until just before it begins to brown.

Place the roasted tomatillos (don't forget the juice collected by the foil during the roasting process!), serranos, cilantro, garlic, onion, and vegetable broth into your blender. Blend for about 30 seconds.

Change the oven temperature to 350. Divide the fried corn tortillas into two or three oven-safe bowls. Cover lightly with the green sauce from the blender, and stir around with a spoon until evenly coated. Top with a layer of refried black beans, then a layer of vegan sour cream, then cover with a layer of vegan shredded cheese.

Place in the oven and cook until the cheese has begun to melt, or about 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and garnish with extra sliced onion and green sauce, if you want it more spicy.

Serve hot, and enjoy!!

(Pictured is the dish, just before it goes into the oven. Yum!)

Neon PinkJuice

A tropical-style juice that has several anti-inflamatory and anti-arthritic properties.

Ingredients:

15 frozen raspberries

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup very strongly brewed peppermint tea

1/2 cup regular applesauce

A squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:

Brew peppermint tea in boiling water and allow to steep for several minutes.

Meanwhile, measure out the orange juice, 15 raspberries, and applesauce. Toss them all in the blender. Pour in the peppermint tea, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Blend until smooth, and add ice if the frozen raspberries haven't made it cool enough.

Enjoy! Makes a serving for one.

Recipe Index

Featured New Recipe: Lorna Rae's Sugar Cookies!

Drinks:
Creamy Hot Chocolate
My Favorite Fruit Smoothie
Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Milkshake
Neon PinkJuice
BOSP Smoothie

Breakfast Foods:
Autumn Spice Granola
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffins
Southwestern Style Scrambled Tofu
Green Chilaquiles
Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

Lunches:
Couscous and Veggies
Quinoa and Hummus Salad
Power Protein Bowl
3 Vegan Sandwiches

Dinners:
Sweet Potato Bowl
Vegan Quiche
Quinoa and Meatballs
Tofu Tagine Pasta

Sides--Vegetables
Roasted Asparagus
Stuffed Mushrooms

Snacky things
Chocolate-Almond-Strawberry Soft Granola Bars
PB-Banana Protein Bars
Olive-Topped Crackers

Desserts
Craving-Killer Chocolate Cake for One
Apple-Date Cakes
Black Bean Brownies
Gingerbread Cookies
French Silk Chocolate Pies
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Lorna Rae's (Sugar Cookies)

Roasted Asparagus

Sometimes, veggies can be comfort food. I know some people would initially disagree--comfort foods include chocolate things, ice cream, and hot and calorie-rich meals laden with not-the-healthiest-but-delicious ingredients. Right? Okay, right, those are some comfort foods. But, when veggies are prepared a certain way, they can have a comforting, yummy, just-like-mom-used-to-make appeal. Instant cure for homesickness. Or a really bad cold. (Seriously, self, of all the times to get miserably sick...) Cue roasted asparagus. As a kid, I really didn't like the taste of it, but now, I can't get enough of it! Maybe it's this recipe. Even if asparagus isn't your favorite, just try one spear prepared this way: it might change your mind about this veggie :) Because, there are so many wonderful things in asparagus--Vitamins A, C, E, K, chromium, folate, glutahione, lots of antioxidants, and fiber. Helps prevent cancer, has anti-aging properties (who doesn't want to look young longer?), and helps prevent cognitive decline. Read more about why asparagus is so good for you here. So, at least give it a try! Here's a recipe to make a delicious roasted asparagus lunch or snack:

Ingredients:

Asparagus spears, washed and dried, with the tough bottoms broken off

Olive oil

Juice from half a lemon

Garlic salt

Black pepper

Optional: shredded veg-mozzarella cheese (Daiya brand is awesome), or regular mozzarella, if you're a non-veg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to a little more than 400 fahrenheit. (Maybe 415-425ish? The ovens here are in Celsius, and I turned that up to a little past 200)

Lay asparagus spears side-by-side in a shallow dish (I used a pizza pan)

Lightly drizzle olive oil over the spears, just enough to cover them in a very very thin layer. Roll the spears back and forth with your hands to coat all sides.

Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the spears, as evenly as possible.

Sprinkle garlic salt and black pepper over the spears. A little goes a long way--these aren't so good if they're too salty!

I highly recommend adding a small handful of mozzarella cheese (vegan or non, whatever your preference). Works really well if you are trying to get kids to eat their greens! Again, not much is needed to give a huge flavor boost, so a small handfull sprinkled sparingly will to the trick.

Place in the oven and allow to roast for 15 minutes. Remove, and allow to cool for a minute or two. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Couscous and Veggies (With gluten-free option!)

Finally! A new post! It's been a month, but I'm finally feeling settled here in Mexico, can navigate the grocery store somewhat well, and am becoming familiar with what is where in the kitchen. Today for lunch, I made something really yummy, and I have to share it with you. It's not a Mexican dish for sure, but I hope to get around to posting those soon, when I have a little more expertise in the area. Today was hot, healthy comfort food for lunch. And maybe dinner. Mmmmm, couscous with sauteed veggies. Super-easy to make, and the most time-consuming thing is chopping the veggies. The recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup dry couscous (I used tomato-basil flavored couscous, highly recommended!)
*For gluten-free substitutions, see notes

10 baby carrots

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 red bell pepper

1/2-3/4 cup sliced cremini mushrooms (or any type you prefer)

3 garlic cloves

Olive oil

Garlic salt

Directions:

Prepare couscous according to package directions in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Boil the baby carrots over high heat for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, begin dicing the garlic very finely, and chopping the onion and red pepper into small bits. (I find I have an easier time chopping up the bell pepper if I use scissors to cut it). When the carrots have finished boiling, run some cold water over them, and then chop those into small bits also.

Coat a frying pan with some olive oil (don't be shy with it) and sautee all the veggies except the carrots--onion, garlic, red bell pepper, sliced mushrooms--for about 6 minutes. Then add in the carrots, and sautee for another 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the hot veggies to the bowl with the couscous, and mix together. Add in an extra tablespoon of olive oil, if the couscous seems a little hard or dry. (Or just to make the flavor a little richer!). Sprinkle garlic salt over it to taste, serve hot, and enjoy!! Heats up very nicely for leftovers, so this is a good dish for making a double batch and having quick, healthy, easy meals during the week.

Notes:

For a gluten-free option, a good sub to mimic the couscous texture would be quinoa. I haven't made it this way yet, but feel free to experiment, and please report back and let me know how it went! :) Another sub for the quinoa could definitely be rice. I've made a lot of rice and sauteed veggie dishes, and they all turn out very well--and a dash of soy sauce is good, but unfortunately most have gluten, so check labels.

Update

Hello again! I know I haven't been posting nearly as frequently as in the beginning--the reason is because just last Thursday I made a big move to Mexico City! I'm hoping that once I get settled in and start going grocery shopping for myself I'll be able to post more recipes. Keep checking back, I promise I haven't quit this blog!

Craving-Killer Chocolate Cake for One

So, once again, it's been awhile since my last post. It seems that getting ready to move 2000 miles away has left me with very little time to experiment in the kitchen! However, there is one thing I've made a couple times, and it's a life-saver when I'm stressed and needing something chocolate and yummy. And the best part? It's a total indulgence of heavenly chocolate cake goodness for just under 200 calories. I've never put toppings on it, but if you want to top it with something, I'm sure agave nectar, fruit jam, fresh fruit, or homemade frosting would all be delicious with it :) So, fill a glass of almond milk to drink with your cake, and get ready to try this super quick, easy, and yummy recipe!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons Splenda

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon almond milk

1/4 teaspoon plus a couple drops of vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Mix together the dry ingredients first, then add in the vegetable oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract--stir very well. This will be a little thicker than regular cake batter, but not as thick as cookie dough.

Lightly spray a small glass plate with cooking oil. Roll the cake batter into a ball in your hands, and then place on the plate and flatten slightly--it should look like a big chocolate cookie.

Put that in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds. Voila! You've got your uber quick and easy chocolate cake for one. Enjoy!

Creamy Hot Chocolate

There's nothing quite so comforting on a cold day as a big mug of hot chocolate. These last few days in central Iowa have been cold, grey, windy, and rainy, and have left me desperate for something warm. Cue hot chocolate. For the longest time, I tried just stirring some cocoa powder and sweetener into hot almond milk--and it didn't work. The cocoa dissolved a little bit, but mostly just clumped into these wet cocoa powder globs that were quite unpleasant to ingest. Ever try eating a pinch of plain dry cocoa powder? Miserable, I'm telling ya...But then I had a big "Duh!" moment and remembered that I own a blender. (A blender named Phillip. Phillip the blender. Does anybody else name their appliances?) Aaaaanyways, here's the super-simple recipe to blend your way to rich hot chocolatey bliss:

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon Splenda (or sugar)

1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon maple syrup (You can substitute this with more Splenda/sugar, but the maple syrup makes the taste much more rich in my opinion--like the difference between a generic packet of hot cocoa mixed in skim milk versus Ghirardelli brand hot cocoa mixed in whole milk.)

Directions

Pop everything into the blender and mix for about 30 seconds, to make sure all the cocoa clumps get dissolved. You've just made cold hot chocolate!

Pour your cold hot chocolate into a coffee mug and heat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.

That's it, you're done! Enjoy it! Unless you want to get gourmet and top it with some vegan whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate--not a bad idea ;)

Notes

PS: I'm going to file this under both the Breakfast and Dessert categories, since I'm not expecting to make a plethora of drink recipes...Who knows, if it becomes my thing, I'll add a new category :)

Sweet Potato Bowl

So, I wasn't entirely sure what to call this dish. It seems like the word "casserole" might have been a good fit, but this isn't the sweet potato casserole that most people are familiar with, and I didn't want to have anyone expecting a dish laden with sugar and butter. This is somewhat sweet, but not sweet like the side dish/dessert that is often present at your Thanksgiving dinners. It's savory, a rich flavor that isn't overwhelming--so it makes the perfect autumn dinner entree! This recipe makes a serving for one, hitting at right about 300 calories.

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato

1/2 cup almond milk

1/4 cup oats

1/3 cup Splenda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon maple extract

1/4 teaspoon butter extract (it's vegan)

Dash of salt

Toppings: 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425.

Fill a medium sauce pan about 2/3 of the way full with water, and bring to a boil over the stovetop. Meanwhile, slice the sweet potato very thinly. I used a chip-maker-slicer that I have, and I can't reccommend these enough!

Once the water is boiling, add sweet potato chips and allow to boil for 6-8 minutes.

While the sweet potato chips are boiling: In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, splenda, almond milk, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla/maple/butter extracts.

Remove the sweet potatoes from the heat and drain. Pour these into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients, and immediately beat with an electric mixer to mash up as best you can.

Lightly grease a small dish (I used a glass cereal bowl), and pour the mixture into it. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove, sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top, and place back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Finally, remove from the oven, and drizzle the tablespoon of maple syrup over the top. Allow to cool for a few minutes, as it's really REALLY hot. A sprinkle of extra cinnamon never hurts either :) Enjoy as a hot, healthy, and savory dinner!!

Apple-Date Cakes

What is happening to the Autumn in Iowa?!? Last week it was absolutely beautiful, not too cold, and all sorts of reds, oranges, and golds in the trees. And this week? So far, it's cold, windy and grey. The leaves are almost gone, and I have a feeling that the snow might come too early...In order to take my mind off of the impending winter (it's only October, Iowa, please don't do this), I've been baking some more Autumn-themed goodies! Today's creation, is, I've gotta say, to-die-for. OMG, these apple-date cakes. They're slightly chewy, and somewhere between cake and bread in the texture. I love the texture, but can't seem to find the best way to describe it! Guess you'll have to try making them and report back your opinions, darn ;) The flavor is rich, mildly spicy, and sweet (but not overly-sweet). These have to be the perfect fall dessert. They have everything going for them: they're healthy, low-cal, oil-free, gluten-free, super easy to make, and absolutely decadent. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chopped dates

1 finely diced green apple, peeled before dicing

1 cup water

1.5 cups quick oats

1 cup Splenda (or sugar)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375.

Peel and dice the green apple very finely.

In a small saucepan over the stovetop, bring the water to a boil. In the meantime, collect the diced apple and chopped dates and place them in a small glass or metal (just not plastic!) bowl. Something that will hold 2 cups of water will be large enough. Pour the boiling water over the apple and dates and stir a couple times. Now, set that bowl aside and let it cool off a little.

Pulse the quick oats a few times in a blender or food processor, until they form a flour. Transfer this flour to a mixing bowl and add in the Splenda (or sugar), cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir together very well.

Lightly grease an 8x8 pan, and pour the entire contents of the mixing bowl in to it. Sprinkle the top with extra cinnamon, if you like.

Place in the oven and bake for 24 minutes, remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before trying to cut. Then, cut into 9 pieces, serve, and enjoy!! (Yummm!)

Notes:

Makes 9 servings at right about 100 calories each.

Autumn Spice Granola

Hi again! Sorry it's been so long since my last post: this has been a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type week for me, and 24 hours doesn't seem to be enough in the day anymore! (Can I get an "Amen"?) When I had some extra time, I did a little food preparation so that I could easily have a quick meal even when I'm in a rush. My favorite result of this haphazard food prep session was a warm, lightly spicy (think cinnamon kind of spicy), and sweet granola. It's by far been my favorite breakfast this week. Also, it's pretty simple to throw together, and likely that you already have several, if not all, the ingredients lurking in your pantry! The recipe:

Ingredients:

2.5 cups quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup chopped walnuts (can also sub with pecans, almonds, etc.)

2/3 cup Splenda (or sugar)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 tablespoons coconut oil (can probably sub with vegetable oil or similar)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/8 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup chopped dates

1/8 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a medium saucepan over low heat on the stovetop, whisk together applesauce, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and coconut oil until blended together very well. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together oats, Splenda, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry, and mix together as evenly as possible. The granola will start to form clumps.

Lightly grease a baking sheet with raised edges (or a large brownie pan would work, 13x9). Spread the granola over the sheet, covering most of it.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, remove and flip/stir the granola a couple times, bake for another 15 minutes, again remove and flip/stir, then place in the oven for 10 more minutes. Finally, remove and transfer the granola to a lidded container.

Toss the dates and raisins into the lidded container along with the granola, place the lid on, and turn the container over a few times in your hands to mix everything together.

Enjoy!! Makes 4 large breakfast servings, easily keeps for at room temperature for at least 5 days.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Good afternoon! Hope everybody's having a lovely Sunday :) It's certainly beautiful here in central Iowa, a perfect day to get a little sunshine, exercise, eat some good food...Mhm, a great Sunday indeed! After making some scrambled tofu for breakfast, I had some leftover peppers that I wanted to eat today. I also had some baby bella mushrooms and tofutti sitting in the fridge--which gave me the idea to make some stuffed mushrooms! I haven't had those in ages and ages, and decided it was high time to make a vegan version. Tofutti is super yummy and swaps out perfectly for dairy cream cheese, though I noticed it does take a couple minutes longer to cook. The recipe:

Ingredients:

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stems removed

1/2 cup finely diced bell peppers, red/orange/yellow/green--any of these work

1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon finely diced onion

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2-3 tablespoons Tofutti brand "cream cheese" (I used French Onion flavored Tofutti)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Rinse and dry the mushrooms, and set aside.

In a cup or small mixing bowl, mix together the peppers, onion, parsley, and garlic powder.

Scoop that mix into the mushroom caps, filling them about 3/4 of the way full.

Spread a generous amount of tofutti over the tops of the mushrooms, covering them completely.

Place in the preheated oven and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the tofutti starts to crack a little on the top. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving, and really enjoy!!

Black Bean Brownies

Please don't get turned off by the title and run away! Phew, okay, you stayed :) I know what you're thinking: "Another dessert recipe?" Mmmmhmmm.....No, I'm not letting myself go, but when I walked in to the kitchen and saw half a bag of chocolate chips peeking out of the cupboard, inspiration struck. And by inspiration, I mean one helluva chocolate craving! You all can sympathize, right? Well, as a result of this massive craving, my own recipe for Black Bean Brownies was born. These are super rich and chocolatey, have a slightly cake-like texture, you can't taste the black beans at all, and they're gluten-free! Oh, and did I mention that these may be the most delicious brownies I've ever made? I couldn't keep out of these. So, I'm sharing my brand-new recipe, of course:

Ingredients:

1 heaping cup black beans

1/3 cup almond milk

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats, processed into a flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon agave nectar

3/4 cup Splenda, or sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon Torani brand Sugar Free Caramel Syrup (probably optional, extra agave might substitute)

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand are vegan)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Process the oats in a blender or food processor until they form a flour. Transfer this flour to a medium mixing bowl, and set aside.

Drain the black beans and rinse under very hot water for about a minute.

Blend the black beans, almond millk, pumpkin puree, agave nectar, vanilla, vinegar, and caramel syrup all together in a blender or food processor.

Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl, keeping out the chocolate chips for now.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir together very well.

Mix in the chocolate chips last.

Transfer the batter to a greased 8x8 pan, and place in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch.

Let cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving, as the chocolate chips are lava right out of the oven.

Cut into 9-12 pieces and enjoy!! Awesome on their own, or they're also really tasty over a couple scoops of coconut milk ice-cream :)

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

The trick to turning an uncomfortably chilly morning into a warm, "I-love-Fall" feeling morning? Dessert for breakfast, of course! And pumpkin pie oatmeal has been happening a lot for me recently :) Perfect thing to help wake up and warm up as the weather starts getting cold once again. This recipe makes one large serving of steaming, spiced, and slightly sweet oatmeal that's packed with fiber and protein. The toasted almonds are optional, but highly recommended! They add in extra protein, give a nice little crunch to the dish, and are just plain tasty. As a side note, I found this is an optimal breakfast 2-3 hours before a workout, great energy from it! The recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons Splenda or sugar, depending on taste

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of ginger

Dash of nutmeg

Dash of salt

1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) slivered almonds, or chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

Directions

If adding in almonds (or pecans or walnuts, etc), preheat oven to 350, spread almonds over a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, just being careful not to burn.

Whisk almond milk and pumpkin puree together in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.

Pour the quick oats into the saucepan, and mix constantly for a couple minutes, or until it starts steaming.

Stir in the brown sugar, Splenda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and immediately transfer to your bowl.

Top with the toasted almonds, and enjoy!

Gingerbread Cookies

Happy Wednesday, everybody! The work/school week is officially more than halfway over, and most certainly you are planning on having an "it's-the-second-weekend-of-the-fall-season" party, right? Hehe, okay, stretching it, I know. But, I must create these little holidays so I can continue with my baking addiction guilt-free :) In the proper spirit of  the Autumn season, I made something I've never even attempted before: Gingerbread Cookies. And by some blessing from the baking gods, I discovered a winning recipe on the first attempt! Seriously, (at the risk of sounding like I'm tooting my own horn) they're awesome. They're gone. Between four of us. In less than four hours. Yes, these are certainly something people will gobble down at your next get-together! They're soft and pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Making vegan and gluten-free look sexy since September 2012. The recipe:

Ingredients:

2.5 cups quick-cooking oats, blended into a flour in a food processor or blender

1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter/margarine

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup Splenda, or sugar

1 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

On the stovetop in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the vegan butter and stir in the pumpkin puree and vinegar. Allow to come very close to a boil, and then whisk in the brown sugar. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, then remove mixture from the heat and set aside.

While the hot mix cools for a few, make a flour out of the oats by pulsing several times in a blender or food processor. Sift all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Pour the pumpkin-butter mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir everything together very well.

Grease a cookie sheet, and shape 12 large cookies onto the sheet. These puff up in the oven, so feel free to squash the dough down a little bit on the cookie sheet before baking.

Place cookies in the oven and set the timer for 15-17 minutes, until the tops have browned slightly and are firm to the touch.

Remove from oven, let cool for at least 5 minutes, and enjoy! If you share, everybody will want to be your friend :) Hehe...the power of baking...

Quinoa and Hummus Salad

As the end of September rolls in, I find myself desperately trying to fit in those last few "summer-y" things before the cold sets in. For me, that means lots of hiking, bonfires, boat rides, and super-fresh foods. Foods like this Quinoa and Hummus Salad. It's kind of similar to a pasta salad, only subtract the pasta and add the quinoa :) Plus, the sauteed veggies give a great boost to the immunity system, which we can all use as the cold weather starts to set in! This is a salad that is good the first day, but GREAT the second and third days, when the flavors absorb a little better. (Think back, think waaaay back to your first school dance. 8pm, starts off awkward, no one's talking, boys on one side of the room, girls on the other. But, as time goes on, people get chatting, enjoying the music a little more, people start dancing--eventually everything works out and everybody has a great time.) Okay, maybe a bad comparison, I know, but that's what I envision happens when I store this salad in the fridge overnight. The quinoa, hummus, and veggies all get very friendly and cozy, and this salad is magically twice as delicious the next day! But enough with bad junior-high-dance comparisons and such, here is the recipe for your Quinoa and Hummus Salad:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup hummus (I used garlic hummus--yum!)

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow or orange bell pepper

1 medium yellow onion

1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp minced garlic

Spices, depending on your taste, but I used the following:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh German Thyme
• Garlic Powder
• Parsley Flakes
• Spike Brand Gourmet Natural Seasoning

Spices are absolutely essential, they take it from a somewhat bland dish to something entirely amazing :) So, definitely add in as many of the above that you can, and feel free to experiment and add in some new flavors as well!

Directions:

Start to cook the quinoa over the stovetop according to box directions (usually it's one part quinoa to two parts water).

Dice your peppers and onion, and chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces. Sautee these all in a medium pan that has been lightly coated with cooking spray, over medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring/flipping often so as not to burn. In the last minute or two, add in the minced garlic.

Remove sauteed veggies from the heat and set aside.

Transfer the quinoa to a serving bowl, and stir/mix in the hummus. Now mix in about 3/4 - 1 cup of your sauteed veggies, and lastly add the spices.

Mix everything together very well, and store in the fridge until cool, or preferably overnight.

Enjoy as a side, snack, or entree! (Also great fuel for pre/post-workout)

Notes:

You'll have leftover sauteed veggies, but not to worry! There's lots of ways to use them, one of my favorite being adding them into a Southwestern Style Scrambled Tofu. Or, if you're like me, you may just gobble them up just as they are :) They'll keep for at least 3 days in the fridge, possibly longer, but they've never lasted that long in my house!

This dish serves 2 as an entree, or 3-4 as a side or snack. The entire thing will have maximum 500 calories, so 250 for one serving as an entree, I'd call that a pretty healthy low-cal meal :) Happy munching!

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffins

Happy Friday!!! I made something for you guys this morning, and just in time for the weekend :) How would you like to wake up to some cappuccino-chocolate-chip muffins? I tried these for the first time last weekend, and I knew my life was changed--OMG, I just had to make my own, vegan version. And wouldn't you know it, I made a gluten-free version as well! You can make these either way, the only substitution for the gluten-free version is, of course, the flour. Here's a nice surprise: they're oil-free too! The recipe for your dangerously delicious (and addicting!) CCC muffins is:

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (If going gluten-free, make 2 cups of oat flour by pulsing quick-cooking oats in a blender or food processor until a fine flour forms)

1/2 cup Splenda (or sugar, if you prefer)

1.5 tablespoons of instant coffee crystals

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand is vegan)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a muffin tin.

If doing the gluten-free version, make your oat flour in the blender or food processor.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together, keeping the chocolate chips out for now.

Pour all wet ingredients into a blender or food processor, and blend thoroughly.

Then, pour the wet ingredient mixture from the blender into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir together very well.

Now stir in your chocolate chips.

Distribute the batter evenly in the muffin tin, and place in the oven for 20 minutes. (24 minutes for the gluten-free). The muffins are done when you can insert a toothpick into the center and remove it clean--no sticky batter.

Let cool for a few minutes, as those chocolate chips are now like lava! Delicious lava, but still...Enjoy!!

Notes:

If you're a toppings person, these are really good with some strawberry jam (A lot of flavor mixing, I know, but I'm addicted to strawberry jam. Even if some people make fun of the way I say "straw'bry"...), tofutti cream chese, or Chocolate Covered Katie's "Coffee Fudge Frosting" [link: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/19/creamy-coffee-fudge-frosting/.] I made Katie's frosting, but with almonds instead of cashews, so the texture was more chunky, dip-like and less frosting-like, but nonetheless delicious!

However, these muffins have no need for toppings, yum-yum-yummy without, too :)

I'm sure you're all wondering about calories...No? Well, I'm telling you anyways! Making 12 muffins, the gluten free version will have about 85 teeny-tiny calories each (WOW!), and the regular will have just 110 calories each. Holy moly, at that rate, you can eat these muffins all day! Hahaha, or maybe that's just my way of thinking...

The gluten-free muffins probably won't win a beauty contest anytime soon. When I pulled them out of the oven, I was a little worried I'd made some cardboard. BUT, looks certainly are deceiving!! I actually prefered the GF version to the regular ones! So, give them a whirl--these cappuccino-chocolate-chip muffins and I may have a bit of a love affair this winter...hehe...

And have a happy weekend!

Southwestern Style Scrambled Tofu

One of the things I missed the most when I first went vegan was scrambled eggs. Although, my heart definitely isn't missing the cholesterol! But they were a good flavor...luckily, tofu came to the rescue :) I never used to like tofu, but that was just because I didn't know how to make it right. Cooking with tofu gets easier and easier, and now I love cooking with tofu since it can serve as a base for a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert--how versatile! Replacing the eggs with tofu works really well as long as you add in some other flavors and make a scrambled omelette, so to speak. You may know very well that tofu is quite bland on it's own, but does an amazing job of absorbing other flavors, which is the key in its versatility. (In all fairness, plain eggs aren't bursting in flavor either, it's the add-ins that make them tasty). Anyhow, here's a tasty tofu breakfast recipe for two!

Ingredients:

1 block Mori-nu extra firm silken style tofu

Scant 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salsa of your choosing, mild or hot as you would like

Veggies from below that you want to taste--make it YOUR meal :) But, I'd definitely add at least 3 veggies.

     Chopped yellow onion
     Chopped celery
     Chopped red, green, yellow, and orange bell peppers
     Chopped spinach
     Chopped mushrooms
     Sliced olives
     Minced garlic
     Chopped green chiles
     Chopped chives

Spices and herbs from below that you want--again, it's your own taste, but I strongly recommend not skipping out on the salt and pepper.

     Black pepper
     Dash of crushed red pepper
     Salt
     Garlic powder
     Onion powder
     Dash of chili powder
     Cilantro

Directions:

First, sautee your veggies (except spinach, if you're using it) in a medium-sized pan lightly coated with a cooking spray. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, flipping a the veggies a couple times.

Drain the tofu and pat dry with a paper towel. Crumble tofu slightly with a fork, being careful not to over-mash. Add crumbled tofu to the pan with the veggies. Lightly sprinkle the turmeric as evenly as possible over all the tofu.

Continue to cook over medium heat for another 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally with a spatula, adding in the spices during the last couple of minutes.

Divide evenly into two bowls, top with your salsa, and enjoy your Southwestern-style breakfast for two!

Notes:

This will also keep in the fridge if you want to save the second bowl for lunch, just be sure to cover it when you go to reheat it in the microwave--tofu tends to explode a little bit in the micro!

The entire thing has about 320 calories, so 160 per serving: wowza! :)

    

3 Vegan Sandwiches

A few more really quick and easy healthy recipes, utilizing pre-made store-bought ingredients for when you're in a hustle. Here's 3 sandwiches that aren't typically vegan, but if you use Multi-Grain Thin Buns and make a couple substitutions, they're healthy and veganized! And, all are 300 calories or less :)

Vegan Meatball Sandwich: (250 calories)
5 Morning Star Brand meatless meatballs, cooked and mashed with 1 tablespoon ketchup or other sauce of your choice, served on a toasted or grilled thin bun.

The Burger: (190 calories with condiments)
Don't feel left out at your next barbecue! Substitute your beef with a Boca brand original vegan burger, and serve on a toasted or grilled thin bun. Add ketchup, mustard, pickles, and other condiments to your liking!

Let's Not Forget the PB&J: (300 calories)
The typical PB&J exceeds 300 calories, but swapping the regular bread for the thin bun cuts out a bunch of unnecessary calories, and you can load it with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (or swap out with almond butter for a nice little switch-up) and 2 tablespoons sugar-free jam, sweet and loaded with protein :)

Quinoa and Meatballs

Here's a recipe that is super quick and easy to make, since it utilizes some pre-made store-bought ingredients. It's awesome and very healthy for a quick lunch or dinner. I've started using quinoa in place of pasta, for the added protein and subtracted calories :) I don't miss the pasta at all! This meal is just a spinoff of the famous spaghetti and meatballs dinner, only healthier and veganized:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa

5 Morning Star brand meal starters meatless meatballs

Scant 1/2 cup pasta sauce of your choice

Directions:

Cook the quinoa with 1/2 cup of water on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add more water if necessary.

Follow the instructions on the box of the meatless meatballs, but usually I cook 5 meatballs for two minutes, turning over at the one minute mark.

Toss the quinoa, meatballs, and pasta sauce all together for a filling dinner for one! Totals about 350 calories, and packs in the protein :)

Vegan Staples to Keep Around

Here's a list of some of my favorite vegan foods that I like to keep around for when I'm not wanting to cook from scratch, or when I'm pressed for time and need a meal or snack on the run. I'll update the list as I continue to discover new good foods, so keep checking back! Everything on here shows up on my grocery list quite often. Two other good websites that list vegan foods are: http://www.veganwolf.com/ready_made_vegan_food.htm and http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/accidentally-vegan.aspx

But, here's a list of things frequenting my fridge and pantry:

Refrigerated:

Unsweetened almond milk

Yves brand tofu dogs

Sugar-free jam (or regular jam, if it's your preference)

Condiments like ketchup, mustard, and pickles

Pasta sauce

Frozen:

Boca brand original vegan burgers

Morning Star brand meatless meatballs

Steamable frozen veggies (none with butter sauce, of course)

Chopped frozen bananas

Pantry:

Thin buns (I like the multi-grain ones)

Quinoa

Quick-cooking oats

Almond butter

Peanut butter

Canned fruits and veggies (go for the kind packed in 100% juice, not any heavy syrups)

Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus granola bars (My favorite store-bought granola bars!)

Luna bars (most are vegan, just check the ingredients of the specific one you're looking at)

Clif bars (again, most are vegan, just double check with specific ones)

Cheerios, or other healthy vegan cereal/granola

Fresh fruits and veggies, of course!

Olive-Topped Crackers

In my last post, I mentioned that I was at a wedding this weekend. Weddings are so fun, aren't they? :) The one I was at had a LOT of yummy food that I'm planning to attempt to recreate--so this is a week for experimenting in the kitchen! One of my favorite hors d'oeuvres was an olive-spread-topped cracker. I've never had anything like it before, but ever since trying them, I have been craving them like mad! So today I decided to see what I could do about that...Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:

1 can ripe pitted california black olives

1.5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon onion powder, or more to taste

Some crackers, I used Ritz

Directions:

Drain the can of olives and rinse under very hot water for about a minute. Immediately put the olives in a blender or food processor along with the olive oil, and puree. You may need to stir the mix a little and blend some more, the goal is to get at least 80% of the olives pureed. (A few tiny olive chunks are perfectly fine and nice, even).

Transfer the olive and oil mixture to a small bowl, and stir in the garlic and onion powders.

If you want to use this as just a dip, you're done--just scoop up the dip with some crackers, and enjoy!

However, you might be wanting to get a little fancier...If that's the case (and let's hope it is, this option is my preference!), then: preheat your oven to 350, and spread the dip on top of your crackers. Place the crackers on a baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, and serve. Great as an appetizer or snack, this'll be an awesome and healthy football season snack too!

French Silk Chocolate Pies

Happy Monday everybody! It’s a rainy, rainy day in central Iowa: a good day to stay inside…And guess what that gives me an excuse to do? Baking day! Time to create a brand new recipe, or two ;)

This past weekend, my cousin got married—yay! So, I was thinking to create a recipe in honor of the last couple days. Hmmmm, a recipe inspired by romance and sweetness. Sounds like something chocolate…chocolate and strawberries. Okay, there is something undeniably sexy about chocolate and red berries, don’t you agree? (If not, you may be on the wrong blog…) Here’s what I came up with: a chocolate French silk pie topped with homemade strawberry drizzle. A pie worthy of being served at a wedding. Wedding cake? Nah, I’ll have wedding pie :) It’s yummy, yummy, yummy! You wouldn’t believe it’s vegan: non-vegan approved, all people are suckers for this pie. Your recipe:

Ingredients:

6 mini pre-made graham cracker pie crusts (Keebler brand has good and tasty ones)

1 package Mori-nu firm silken tofu

1 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand are vegan)

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or over the stovetop, stirring frequently, being very careful not to burn.

Put the tofu in the blender and blend until it forms a thick batter. Add almond butter, vanilla, and maple syrup, blend until combined.

Pour melted chocolate into the blender, and blend very well until the pie filling is a consistent pudding texture.

Spoon the mixture from the blender into each of the pie shells and smooth out the tops, refrigerate for at least an hour (if you can wait!) before serving.

Top with strawberry drizzle (recipe below), vegan whipped cream, chopped strawberries, raspberries, extra melted chocolate, crumbled graham crackers...the options are endless!



Strawberry Drizzle Ingredients:

1.5 cups whole strawberries

2 tablespoons strawberry jam (I used sugar-free)

1/2 cup Splenda or sugar

Directions:

Puree the strawberries in a blender.

Add in strawberry jam and blend until combined.

Pour pureed strawberries and jam into a small saucepan, and stir in Splenda over low-medium heat, cooking for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly so as not to burn.

The mix, obviously, will be very hot! Pour into a glass container and refrigerate until cool. Drizzle over your French Silk Chocolate Pies, and enjoy and indulge :)

Vegan Quiche

Traveling and busy weekends always tend leave me craving one general thing: hot food. Room temperature food is more or less the option (at least for someone on a veg-diet!) during those long car drives, and I start to miss those nice, warm, home-cooked meals. Like vegan quiche.

This has been my number one favorite meal for the last several months. I can't get enough of it! If I had to choose a last meal, this would be my entree. Guess what I'm having on Monday when I get home? (Maybe even Sunday night, if I have the energy to go to the grocery store after the drive...) My point is, even if you're a full-time carnivore, give this a try. I promise, it won't disappoint. The recipe:

Adapted from Meatout Monday's "Classic Quiche Florentine"

Ingredients:

1 package Mori-Nu Firm Silken Style Tofu (about 12 oz)

3/4 - 1 cup diced yellow onion, depending on how onion-y you want it

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, preferably thawed

1/2 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon garlic powder, more if you really like garlic!

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper **UPDATE** If you're not a big pepper fan, do just one teaspoon. (I love pepper, but understand some don't love it as much as I do--but 2 teaspoons do make this really peppery).

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 crumbled vegan "bacon" strips

1 Pre-made pie crust--I really like using the Keebler brand reduced-fat graham cracker ready-crust. It sounds weird, I know: "Quiche with a graham cracker crust??" But believe me, it's absolutely decadent.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a small skillet with cooking spray and sautee the onion over low to medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, being careful not to burn.

If your spinach is already thawed, drain and press some of the extra spinach-juice out with a paper towel. If it hasn't been thawed, microwave until it is (but you don't really want to cook it too much beforehand), then drain and press with a paper towel.

In a blender, combine the tofu, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and turmeric. This is a little easier if you chop the tofu into smaller bits first. Blend until you have a thick but smooth batter.

Pour the tofu mixture into a mixing bowl, and add in onions, spinach, and crumbled bacon strips. Mix until just combined, then pour everything into your pie crust. Make sure everything is nice and smoothed out...

Place the quiche in the oven, and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the top is firm to the touch (sometimes it cooks faster than others, I think depending on how well the spinach is drained and pressed).

Let cool for about 30 minutes before cutting, store in the fridge, and really really enjoy! ...I'm looking forward to Monday :)

Snickerdoodle Cookies

My name is Haley and I'm a bake-a-holic. It's quite the habit, and I just can't seem to find the desire to quit :) Thankfully, there's always a reason for baking: birthdays, holidays, fundraisers, visiting friends, good weather, bad weather, mom's having happy hour tonight (stay off the roads!!)...Well, you get my point. I'll always find an excuse. Today's excuse was that last reason--happy hour night. Tell me, have you ever had an unhappy hour when there were cookies present? I don't think so. In this world, cookies just tend to make people happy. So, what better addition to the night than some tasty snickerdoodle cookies?? Just don't tell anyone they're gluten-free and vegan, or else they might be scared off...And trust me, they would be REALLY missing out if they didn't try one of these delicious snickerdoodles:

Ingredients:

1.75 cups quick cooking oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup Splenda or sugar (I'm big on the sugar-free right now, if you can't tell from previous posts...)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil or vegan butter (if you're counting calories definitely opt for the vegan butter, it's about 300 calories less)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons almond milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Pour the oats into a blender and blend until a fine flour forms.

Transfer the oats (now an oat flour) to a mixing bowl, and add in remaining dry ingredients.

Melt the vegan butter or coconut oil in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Once the butter/oil is melted, add in the vanilla and almond milk, then immediately pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and mix it all up very well.

Grease a baking sheet, split the dough in 12, shape your cookies on the sheet, and place in the oven.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven, and enjoy!

Also, enjoy how good your kitchen will be smelling for the next several hours :)

Notes:

This recipe makes 12 cookies, at just under 100 calories each (if you're using the vegan butter instead of the oil). How awesome is that?

My Favorite Fruit Smoothie

You know one of my favorite things about the vegan diet? The boost in Vitamin C: I hardly ever get sick anymore, it makes my skin glow, and I notice that little nicks and scrapes heal faster. Not to mention, the sources of Vitamin C are super yummy! My favorite smoothie has just four ingredients, is really simple to make, and it packs in the good nutrients. Also, it's a meal for under 200 calories :) Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk

2/3 - 3/4 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup raspberries

1 frozen banana


Directions:

Well, you all know how to make a smoothie: into the blender it all goes! If you're really having a sweet-tooth, you can add a little sweetener (like Splenda or Stevia) to taste, but the fruit is makes it nice and sweet to begin with.

Note:

If you use frozen berries, the taste is a little more tangy, but still delish! In my opinion, it's even a little better :)

Also, you can add more good stuff into the smoothie! Need your dark greens, but don't like the taste? Try blending a handful of spinach in along with everything else. I promise, you can't taste it at all, though the color might be a little off-putting if you let it sit for a few minutes...

Power Protein Bowl

Here is another relatively new favorite of mine: the Power Protein Bowl. Perfect as a meal on its own, also great for pre/post-workout.

A long time ago, I tried cooking with quinoa. I really tried. I did just like the box said, 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water, cover and put it in the microwave and cook for....NO. For me, trying to cook quinoa in the microwave results in spending the next half-hour scraping baked quinoa off of the microwave plate. Quinoa and I didn't get along very well. That is, until a couple weeks ago, when I broke down and decided to try it again. You see, quinoa is such a good source of protein, a complete protein, that I just couldn't give up on it quite yet. And I'm so glad I didn't.

I learned something: quinoa boils over to hell in the microwave, but it cooks up quite nicely on the stovetop :) It only takes a little more patience (I know, not my strong suit either when I'm hungry, but worth the wait). So, that's my recommendation--go stovetop. The rest of this recipe is super simple and easy to cook. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry quinoa (fluffs up to about 1 cup when cooked)

1 can of black beans (15oz can)

1 package extra firm cubed tofu (or just extra firm and cube it yourself)


Now what's tofu without a marinade? Well, it's cardboard. For the marinade:

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Scant 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1.5 teaspoons black pepper

If you have some finely chopped herbs lying around, you can totally should add some in, a little cilantro went very nicely with mine.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350.

Get the quinoa started first, as it takes the longest--just follow the directions on the box, but go stovetop!

Next, you'll want to grab an 8 x 8 pan and whip up the marinade for the tofu, just pour all the ingredients into the pan and mix them evenly with a fork or spoon, making sure the whole bottom of the pan is covered.

Drain your tofu and pat it dry with a paper towel, then pour the cubed tofu (or slice it up if it isn't already, in little half-inch chunks) over the marinade. Flip the tofu a couple times with a spatula, try to get a coating of the marinade on all the sides if you can. Set the pan in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, then take it out and flip the tofu, and cook for 5-7 more minutes.

Drain the black beans and rinse very well with hot water, drain again and pour into a sealable container. Add in your quinoa and tofu, stir to combine, and enjoy!

Notes:

Makes 4 servings at 200 calories each, this recipe REALLY packs in the protein and fiber. It's awesome fuel for the body--this is a godsend on those long and exhausting days we all run into now and then. Stores in the fridge for 3 days, but it never lasts that long at my house!


Question of the day: What's your favorite non-animal-based protein source?

Chocolate-Almond-Strawberry Soft Granola Bars

Two completely new, completely delicious recipes created in the same day? What a great first day for EVE! Tonight's recipe was born of the necessity (okay, okay, the want) for granola bars during a long weekend trip. Store-bought granola bars can be really tasty, but sometimes expensive, and tend to have a higher sugar and oil profile than I would like. So, I decided to recreate the granola bar in my own kitchen! Tonight something chocolatey and almondy sounded good. (Does it ever not??) Right before I tossed the batch in the oven, I thought it needed something...something more. Aha! I needed some strawberry in these. Hence, the first batch of C-A-S Soft Granola Bars was made. The recipe:

**UPDATE** Tried adding in 2/3 cup of raspberries, and holy moly...I would never make them without again! Definitely go for it, if you have the raspberries on hand--just add 5 minutes more cooking time, total time of 20 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon almond butter

2 tablespoons strawberry jam (I used sugar free)

Scant 3/4 cup almond milk (sweet or unsweet, depending on your taste)

3 Stevia/Splenda packets, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2/3 cup raspberries (optional, but trust me--do it!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Combine first 3 ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend until a flour forms.

Pour mixture from the blender into a mixing bowl, and mix in remaining ingredients with a fork. This can be difficult to mash all together, the mixture should be quite thick. If making the recipe with the raspberries, it's a little softer and easier.

Grease a loaf pan (sizing about 8 x 4, if using 8 x 8 pan you'll need to double the recipe or the bars will be way too thin)

Pat the mixture down into the pan. It will be sticky and a little difficult to spread, but it's worth the effort to get it nice and even.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, be sure the top is firm when you take it out. Let cool at least 20 minutes before cutting, top with some strawberry jam just before serving (not necessary if you used the raspberries), and enjoy!

Notes:

The recipe above totals to about 500 calories, and makes 6 good-sized granola bars. If you top each with a tablespoon of sugar-free jam, each bar is still less than 100 calories. Nice way to squash a craving :)

If you're not going to top them with strawberry jam, I would recommend subbing a little more into the recipe, maybe taking out a little almond milk to keep the consistency thick. I don't like my granola bars overly sweet, so definitely add in sweetener to taste if you have a strong sweet-tooth.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Milkshake

So I have this little habit, call it good or bad, of combining breakfasts with desserts. My smoothies and oatmeal are usually modeled after some kind of desserts--lately it's been chocolate-banana or pumpkin pie flavoring. Bad, right? Actually, not! Recipes coming soon to prove it :) This first recipe post is reserved for something entirely new, born just this morning.

For some reason this morning, I woke up with one thing on the brain: snickerdoodles. Having no idea where that craving came from (it's been over a year since I've had a snickerdoodle cookie), I decided not to fight the urge, but instead incorporate it into a healthy breakfast milkshake! I had no idea how this recipe would turn out, as I didn't take the time to do any research before, but OMG. This recipe is amazing, my new favorite breakfast. In fact, I liked the breakfast one so much, that I did a repeat for lunch. The oats in the milkshake help you feel full longer, so this really is a meal--for just 280 sinless calories. Without further ado, here is the recipe!

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1 tablespoon almond butter (could try subbing with other nut butters, but the almond butter gives it such a good, creamy, batter taste)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2-3 packets of Stevia, or Splenda, or other sweetener, to taste

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Mix the almond milk and the oats in a cup or container, and let sit in the fridge/freezer for at least an hour. (So the oats don't give the milkshake a gritty texture.)

The hardest part is waiting--now you just toss everything in the blender and blend it up really nice and smooth! It's nice to pour into a frosted glass (if you store those in the freezer), otherwise you might want to add some ice to make it cold.

And the Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Milkshake was born :) Happy Wednesday!

EVE's Birthday!

Welcome to the launch of my new blog, Earthly Vegan Eats! The title says it all: EVE is all about healthy vegan foods/recipes that are good for both our bodies and the world around us. Wait, don't leave just yet! I promise, the recipes I post are delicious to vegans and non-vegans alike--no cardboard here.

I'm starting EVE for a few simple reasons, the most important being to share some tasty healthy recipes that I just can't stand to keep secret anymore :) Also, I want to show just how easy and yummy getting good nutrition on a veg diet can be! Whenever I tell someone that I don't eat any animal-based products, there are two common reactions. One is a sort of a "why in the world would you ever want to do something crazy like that" paired with scared face. (It's a lifestyle choice, not a disease...) Another reaction is just the question: "So what do you eat?"

There is a big, big world outside of meat and dairy. It definitely gets easier with time, figuring out which foods are okay for a vegan diet and which aren't. Eventually, a veg-diet becomes so easy that you'll never feel limited in your food choices! So, check out the page often, I'll do my best to keep posting new healthy and delicious recipes, as frequently as I can. Here's to the start of EVE!