Greenbeane

Welcome Baby Boy!

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 06:27:00 +0000

I promise I'll post more recipes soon, but I've been pretty busy...making a perfect human ;) And moving to a new country. I'm Canadian for now, eh! Back to baby - Ellington Michael was born on July 12th at a healthy 8 lbs 11oz. And he's growing like a weed! Already the size of a 3 month old!

The midwives said my placenta (I know TMI, but it's important) was one of the healthiest and biggest they've ever seen which had a direct correlation to my diet...my vegan diet that is ;) So if you're a healthy vegan, you absolutely can have a healthy vegan pregnancy and give birth to a healthy vegan baby. Ok, enough delirious blogging, I have to go change a poopy vegan diaper. I know, those cheeks, right?! I'm in love :)

p.s. last night we make "chicken" parm over spaghetti with Gardein's turk'y cutlets (without the gravy it comes with) and Daiya cheese. It was DE-lish! A great little indulgence.

Carrot Raisin Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:26:00 +0000

Ok so I'm on a bit of a muffin kick. And as I make them, I'm storing half of them in my freezer like the world is ending...nesting maybe? These are everything you want a muffin to be. Sweet, moist and scrumptious. They also happen to have lots of fiber and even a vegetable! I love when I get my veggies from anything other than salad. Stayed tuned for more muffin recipes!

Makes 6 large muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2⁄3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 tsp salt

1 cup nut milk (I used hazelnut - soy or almond would work too. Rice will not.)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1⁄4 cup canola oil
1⁄4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp vanilla extract

2⁄3 cup shredded baby carrots (about 10)
1⁄3 cup oat bran
1⁄2 cup raisins
3 Tbsp ground flax seed

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease your muffin tin.

In a small bowl, mix the nut milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit to curdle.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture.

Add the oil, apple sauce and vanilla to the milk mixture and stir. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the carrots, oat bran, raisins, and flax, and stir until well combined.

Fill muffin tins 3⁄4 of the way and bake for 25-30 minutes until muffins are golden brown on top and a knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Blueberry Bliss Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:35:00 +0000

Since I've been preggers (2 weeks to go BTW!), I've been loving the basics. There's nothing quite like a good ol' fashioned blueberry muffin - especially when it's guilt-free and health-full. These moist and fluffy little guys are packed with antioxidants, fiber and omega-3's. And since I used a combination of oil and apple sauce to lower the fat, you have no excuse not to try them!

Makes 8 large muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2⁄3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 tsp salt

1 cup nut milk (I used hazelnut - soy or almond would work too. Rice will not.)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1⁄4 cup canola oil
1⁄4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1⁄2 cups frozen blueberries, rinsed
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease your muffin tin.

In a small bowl, mix the nut milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit to curdle.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture.

Add the oil, apple sauce and vanilla to the milk mixture and stir. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries, flax, and chia seeds and stir until well combined.

Fill muffin tins 3⁄4 of the way and bake for 25-30 minutes until muffins are golden brown on top and a knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Eggless Tofu Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 22:44:00 +0000

This was inspired by Kris Carr's recipe in Crazy Sexy Diet. If you don't already have this book, RUN - don't walk - to get it. It's basically my bible. This is such a perfect dish for a party, for lunch, to snack on with some corn chips, or a summer picnic! If you want to double the recipe, it will keep in your fridge for 4-5 days....but it probably won't last that long :)

Serves 6 hungry people

2 blocks (about 15 oz - I use Trader Joe's brand and the sprouted is the perfect texture)
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1⁄2 cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 carrot (or 5 baby carrots), grated - take the time to grate it, it's soooo goood!
1⁄4 of an onion (about 1⁄4 cup), minced
1 cup vegenaise
1⁄4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp brown mustard (halve this if you're not a big fan of mustard)
salt and pepper to taste (about 1⁄2 tsp each)

Squeeze most of the excess water out of the tofu. In a medium mixing bowl, crumble the tofu and add the celery, cucumber, carrot, and onion.

In a small separate bowl, mix the vegenaise, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, brown mustard, salt and pepper. Add this mixture to the tofu and veggies and mix well. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Kris has 1⁄3 cup parsley in hers - I'm just not a huge fan of parsley. You could also add relish or red bell pepper! Easy peasy!

Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie Shake

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:18:00 +0000

This was born from me wanting a chocolate milkshake, but still wanting to feed my "vetus" (what Chloé Jo calls a vegan fetus) a healthy snack. I have one of these before bed about 4 nights a week and when I have one, I only wake up 3 times instead of 12! Extremely high in antioxidants, protein, and yuminess, this is a winner.

Makes one serving

1 cup rice milk (or almond or hemp or soy, etc..)
1 frozen banana (the texture will be better if the banana is frozen)
1⁄2 cup frozen blueberries
1⁄3 cup walnuts (2 big palmfuls)
1 Tbsp cacao nibs
1⁄2 Tbsp maple syrup or 1 pitted date
2 Tbsp chocolate Hemp Protein Powder
1 Tbsp regular Hemp Protein Powder

Starting with the milk, mix in blender until smooth.

Eating Vancouver: Grilled Cheese Truck!

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:05:00 +0000

We were shivering our way through the streets of Vancouver, when we got an incredible whiff of toasted bread, tomato soup, and cheese. We kept walking because let's face it - that'd be too good to be true. Then we remembered Vancouver is the birth place of Daiya cheese (oh yes!) and turned back to check it out. Ding ding ding! Not only does Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck have Daiya, they have Gluten Free bread too! And although it's 75 cents extra, they give you TWO sandwiches because the slices are so small - which ends up being more food than the other breads! Score! When I ordered, they asked if I wanted my grilled cheese cooked in a separate pan, and she even changed her gloves when working with my food. Seriously awesome service. The sandwiches come served in these fun retro-style cones with a pile of potato chips at the bottom! No weird GF texture, and zero sacrifice on the taste. Hands down the best grilled cheese I've ever had. The tomato soup is also vegan (if you get it without the cheese they dribble on top), and it was closer to marinara sauce than tomato soup - which was ideal for dipping and totally rocked my world.

Tomato "marinara" goodness

I'm so happy I found this gem toward the beginning of my trip and I will soon be a regular here. Visit momsgrilledcheesetruck.com for location and hours. If you're in Vancouver - this is a MUST.

So fun!

Coming Soon...

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 17:21:00 +0000

The hubby and I are in Vancouver - he for business, I for the food. Rawsagna from an underground Raw/Vegan/Organic restaurant? Yes, please! A Chinese restaurant that's entirely vegan? Ok! Gluten free chocolate donuts? All day long, baby.

Stay tuned for "Eating Vancouver"

Cheezy Kale Chips from Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:55:00 +0000

I thought the love I have for my husband was a deep as it gets. And then - totally and completely out of the blue mind you - he decides to whip these up. Now I can honestly say that I know what true love is. Michael, I am honored and humbled to dub you Iron Chef of Kale Chips. Congratulations, hunny bun.

Not only are these crispy, cheezy and salty in the most wonderful way, they are healthy too! I don't want to say that too loud because I really don't want you to get the wrong idea here. But they are! Like super hero healthy! Good luck keeping these around longer than a day. Sheesh.

Fills 2 gallon sized ziploc bags

4 heads of kale - destemmed, washed, and torn in large bite size pieces

1 1⁄2 cups raw cashews soaked in filtered water overnight

1 tomato

1 red bell pepper

1⁄8 cup filtered water

1⁄2 cup nutritional yeast

1⁄8 cup sunflower seeds

1⁄8 cup sesame seeds

splash of lemon (optional)

1⁄2 tsp 'Smokin Willies' spice (optional)

1⁄2 tsp onion powder

1⁄2 tsp garlic powder

1⁄2 tsp chipotle chili powder

dash chili powder

1 tsp salt

Add ingredients (except kale) to blender and blend until smooth. Add water a tsp at a time if it's too thick to blend - however, you want the mixture to be pretty thick. In a large bowl, toss the cheeze with the kale and spread on your dehydrator sheets. Sprinkle an extra dash of salt over the top of the kale. Place in dehydrator at 115° F for 5-6 hours. Be prepared for your entire house to smell amazing. If you do not have a dehydrator, place in oven on 200° F for an hour or until crispy.

*I have not tried dehydrating them in the oven so keep an eye on them if you choose this option.

Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Raspberry Fig Cookie Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:44:00 +0000

This recipe was inspired by and all but stolen from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's theppk.com. But since I'm doing my best to avoid wheat and gluten, I wanted to provide a GF version of this brilliant baking accomplishment. I highly suggest taking a stroll through The PPK- it's an incredible resource of recipes and ideas. Just remember who sent you there and come back to say hi every now and then.

This is one of those recipes that makes me chuckle when someone says, "you're vegan and gluten free? What do you eat? Don't you feel deprived?!" Yes, so deprived. Doesn't that photo just spell deprivation? These cookie bars have the perfect amount of fruit to allow you to justify to yourself why you ate all of them in one sitting. But just the perfect amount of gooey figgy center, and sweet melt-in-your-mouth golden fluffy crust to let in the perfect amount of guilt. Come one, we all know how good it feels to be bad.

Makes 12 good-sized bars

Filling:
about 40 dried figs (black mission), de-stemmed and chopped in small pieces
1⁄2 cup frozen raspberries
2⁄3 cup water
1⁄4 cup agave or pure maple syrup (I used maple syrup)
zest of one lemon (you could also use a lime or 2 tsp of orange zest)

Cookie Crust:
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1⁄4 cup dairy-free milk (I used rice milk)
1⁄2 cup canola oil
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3⁄4 cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour (I used Arrowhead Mills brand)
1 tsp baking POWDER
1⁄2 tsp salt

1. Line an 8x8 square brownie pan with enough aluminum foil so it folds over two sides of the pan by an inch or two. Spray the covered pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium sized pan, bring figs, raspberries, water, maple syrup, and lemon zest to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 8-10 minutes while you prepare the dough.

3. In a large bowl, combine flax seed, milk, canola oil, sugar, and vanilla and a mix well until smooth. Sift or add in flour, baking powder and salt and mix until a loose dough forms. Form the dough into a ball and split in half. Spread one half of the dough on the bottom of the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

4. While that's baking, remove fig mixture from heat and mush with a metal spatula or potato masher, or place in a food processor until it's reached your desired texture (I used a food processor).

5. Take your second dough ball, place it between two sheets of wax paper and roll it out about 1⁄2 and inch thick. Remove the pan from the oven, and spread the fig mixture evenly over the first layer of dough. Remove one side of the wax paper and place that side down in the pan. Remove the top layer of wax paper, even out the dough to cover the entire top, and place the pan back in the oven. Cook for 22-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

6. Remove from oven, and place pan on a wire rack to cool. When bars are cooled, remove them from the pan by lifting the sides of excess foil. Flip over onto a cutting board and cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:11:00 +0000

Happy New Year! It sure has been a long time since my last original post, and my goodness do I miss you! I haven't posted new recipes because for the past 3 months I've been really tired. And sick. And couldn't stand the smell of food. And hated all of my favorite foods. And had weird cravings. Catching my drift yet? I'm gonna be a mama! Let's just say the first trimester made me a much stronger person, and now I feel ready to conquer the world! Or at least some super delicious recipes!

This first recipe comes from my friend Kristen, who I now consider a gluten free baking goddess. She also gave a great tip. If a gluten free baking recipe ever calls for baking soda, she omits that and just adds baking powder - it won't rise with baking soda...who knew?! Kristen, we owe you our lives for this recipe.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup earth balance, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp Ener-G egg replacer plus 2 tsp water, whisked together and set aside
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1⁄2 cups Gluten Free all-purpose flour (she used King Arthur brand)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats (she used Quaker Quick or Old Fashioned - do NOT use instant)
1 1⁄2 cups raisins
1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and grease two large cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy. Add egg replacer mixture and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
3. In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir dry ingredients into sugar-butter mixture. Fold in raisins and nuts. Then fold in oats.
4. Spoon dough by large tablespoonfuls onto your baking sheet leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
5. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cookies will feel slightly undercooked when they come out but will finish cooking out of the oven. Cool one minute on baking sheet then transfer to wire cooking rack. They will be very soft until completely cooled.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:36:00 +0000

It's been a while! I have not forgotten about my little blog, my life has just been busy busy! I'm going to cheat this week and re-post a couple great recipes for Thanksgiving!!! No table should be without the famous BROCCOLI CHEESE!!! *As is, this is not Gluten Free, but with a few simple substitutions, it easily could be! BONUS: If you're thinking about making a Green Bean Casserole, you can use the Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe below!

Broccoli Cheese was the highlight of my holiday dinners. The responsibility (and high honor) of making it would alternate between us and the McDevitt cousins. One year when it was our turn, our beloved dog, Goober, enjoyed the entire casserole to herself while we stopped at McDonald's on the way to the family gathering. I guess that was our karma for stopping at McDonald's - gross!

This tasty concoction consisted of a block of velveeta cheese, a can of cream of mushroom soup, frozen broccoli and spinach and fried onions (the canned kind). When I became vegan, I mourned one dish only - Broccoli Cheese. How could I replicate coagulated cream of mushroom soup? And a mysterious block of orange goop with such questionable edibility?? Impossible! Well not anymore. We've done it! With real ingredients that will make your heart skip- not stop. This year I had the pleasure of having non-vegans over for Thanksgiving. They were self-proclaimed cheese fanatics who couldn't believe their taste buds. "This isn't cheese?! Really?!?." Really. So now, I have the great honor of presenting one of my most proud moments in vegan cooking history. I give you...the Broccoli Cheese.

Serves 8-10 with a lot of other food on the table or 6-8 if it's the only side dish.

This requires a little love although it looks more complicated than it actually is. If you're intimidated, here's an overview:
1. Soak the cashews overnight.
2. Make the Cheese.
3. Make the Cream of Mushroom Soup.
4. Create your Casserole.
5. Bake it.

Cheese

Ingredients for Cheese

2 cups raw (unsalted) cashews or raw cashew pieces, soaked overnight.

1⁄2 cup milk

2 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1⁄2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp tahini

4 cloves garlic
1 tsp onion powder

1 1⁄2 tsp of salt (to start)
1⁄2-3⁄4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions for Cheese
1. Soak the cashews. Place cashews in a small bowl and fill the bowl with water until the cashew are submerged. Cover with plastic wrap and soak on the counter overnight.
2. Drain the cashews and blend ingredients. Drain the cashews and add them and the rest of the ingredients to a blender. We use a Vitamix. If you're able to purchase one of those bad boys, do it. It will be your most popular kitchen gadget and you'll have it for life. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

If you're making this dish during the holiday and you're making the amazing Truffle Scented Mushroom Gravy, it's that recipe with a little milk added to it:

Ingredients for Soup
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter
1 large Portobello mushroom, finely chopped
5 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2 cups veggie broth
3 tsp arrowroot powder (or corn starch if you don't have arrowroot)
salt and pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup milk

Directions for Soup
1. Make a roux (rhymes with "do" - it's French). In a sauce pan over low heat, whisk together butter and flour.
2. Add mushrooms and sage. Add mushrooms and sage and cook until mushrooms have released liquid and then dried up again.
3. Add the rest. Add veggie broth, arrowroot, salt and pepper. Whisk until there are no more lumps. Simmer on low until soup thickens. Remove soup from heat and let cool for a couple minutes. Stir in the milk.

Casserole
Ingredients for Casserole
3 1-lb bags of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and very well drained (make sure to squeeze all the excess water out of it. Use those muscles!)
2 1-lb bags of frozen chopped broccoli, also thawed and very well drained
1 8-oz can fried onion pieces
2 cups Daiya cheese

Directions for Casserole
1. Heat oven to 375° F.
2. Grease a large casserole dish.
3. Combine Cheese and Soup. In a bowl or the blender, mix together the cheese and the soup until well combined. It should be a little thicker than heavy cream. If it is too thick, add some milk, a tablespoon or two at a time.
4. Combine all ingredients. Start with the broccoli and spinach. Place them in the casserole dish and fluff with a fork. Add 1 1⁄2 cups of the Daiya cheese and mix until well incorporated into the spinach and broccoli. Next, add the cheese and soup mixture and mix well. Spread ingredients evenly in casserole dish and top with the remaining Daiya cheese and then the onion pieces.
5. Cover and Bake. Cover with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes. The casserole will be bubbling when it's ready.

Ta Da!!!

Thai Teak Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 02:17:00 +0000

Michael's Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu...incredible!

On our way home from running errands today, we found the cutest little restaurant in Santa Monica called Thai Teak. They also do massages and sell orchids, but we just stopped in for the food - which was OUTSTANDING! For $20 we got 2 entrees and an appetizer the size of an entree. It was fresh, insanely delicious, and very filling - we both had leftovers! The kitchen was super clean and the man who served us our meal was so sweet. It's the perfect little place for a quick lunch or dinner or maybe even a date :) The tables are bar-style by the windows, but it was still quite cozy. I would give this place a perfect 10!


I had chow mein tofu! YUUMM!!!!

So if you're in or near Santa Monica, I'd definitely give this place a try!! It's located at:

2400 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Lentil Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:03:00 +0000

This is very similar in taste to the Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole, but it's made with quinoa and cooks in a pot instead of in the oven..and in half the time. It's the perfect dish for a stormy summer night. Easy to make and easy on your budget, this is definitely a new staple!

Serves 2

1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp dried oregano
1⁄2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1⁄2 cup frozen peas
2 cup kale, washed and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 tsp salt

Place lentils, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, and 1 1⁄2 cups water in a large pot on high. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add quinoa, 1⁄4 cup water (1⁄2 cup if too thick) and peas, bring to a boil again, cover, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and simmer for another 5 minutes or until lentils and quinoa are cooked and most of the water is absorbed.

Top with Daiya cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

p.s. these cute bowls are on sale now at anthro!

Pizza Bellos

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:37:00 +0000

While drooling my way through the prepared foods section at Whole Foods, I spotted these little guys. Although I was tempted to buy them, I knew I could make them in 15 minutes for a fraction of the cost - so I responsibly made my way over to the produce section. I'm big on texture, so I think I was more excited for cute mini pizzas than actually biting into a portobello crust, but.... once again I was pleasantly surprised. They were so scrumptious and completely satisfying. Now you can have pizza every night!! Much better than that English toast concoction my mom used to always make - sorry ma...

*if you don't use the veggie sausage they're gluten free

Serves 2

4 portobello mushrooms (they shrink a lot!)
your favorite pizza sauce
1⁄2 green bell pepper, sliced thin
1⁄2 onion, sliced thin
fresh pineapple chunks
veggie sausage
Daiya cheese
...or whatever toppings tickle your fancy!

Preheat oven to 375°. Scrape out dark brown part on the bottom of mushroom and rinse well. Place mushrooms on a baking sheet and coat with a little olive oil on both sides of mushroom. Then, spread your sauce of choice, a little salt and pepper, and the rest of your toppings. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until mushroom is cooked all the way through and cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Strawberry-Watermelon Granita

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 01:16:00 +0000

Photo Credit Thomas J. Story*

I love everything about this. The name is delicious, the dish is beautiful, and it cools you from head to toe the second it hits your tongue. I had a giNORMOUS watermelon that I knew we'd never finish, so I went to watermelon.org for inspiration - these people are passionate about watermelons! I put my own spin on their watermelon granita to cut out the sugar and add a little extra somethin somethin. The slushy flakes of granita are so light and cold and flavorful, it's the perfect dessert for a hot summer day.

Makes 6 cups (this has to sit overnight)

1⁄2 of a LARGE seedless watermelon (about 6 cups)
1 cup strawberries (frozen or fresh)
2 Tbsp agave
juice of one lime

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Pour into a large casserole dish, cover with plastic wrap, and place in freezer for about 3 hours. When mixture is frozen around the outside of the dish, but still slushy in the middle, stir well and scrape the sides down. Repeat this 2 hours later so it doesn't become a solid mass. Let granita sit in the freezer overnight.

To serve, scrape with a fork to break it up and make it light and flaky. Enjoy!

*My computer crashed right before I posted this and I lost all my photos of the Granita! So although this is not my photo, it's exactly what it looked like!

In the Meantime...

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:52:00 +0000

Wedding season is among us! A HUGE congratulation to Kristen and Elias and Corey and Caitlin! Cooking has taken a back burner (hehe), but I promise to get some recipes (Watermelon Granita, anyone?) up soon! In the meantime, my cousin sent this to me today and I just had to share - too cute!

(click to see full size)

Gluten Free Cinnamon Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 18:58:00 +0000

Since cutting gluten from our diets, Michael and I had yet to have a fluffy, melt in your mouth, good ol' fashion pancake. Well, days of "I don't mind the texture because it tastes pretty good" are over. We've tirelessly eaten pancakes every Sunday for the past couple months in an attempt to perfect this recipe. I know, it's tough, but someone's gotta do it. Trial 1: we bought a mix from whole foods and they were good...if you like soft pretzel-y pancakes. Trial 2: we added a little buckwheat. Also good...if you like soft pretzel-y buckwheat pancakes. Trials 3, 4 & 5, we halved the mix and played around with other flours. Not bad, getting closer, but we knew they could be better. Trial 6 (or 7?): The winner! Fluffy, melt in your mouth, good ol' fashion Sunday morning pancakes.

Makes 12 medium pancakes

1 1⁄8 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free pancake mix
1⁄8 cup buckwheat
1⁄8 cup ground flax seed
1⁄4 cup almond meal
3 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1⁄4 cup almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp agave
1 Tbsp canola oil

In a small bowl, mix milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, agave, and oil. Set aside to curdle (this will become a "buttermilk").

In a larger bowl combine pancake mix, buckwheat, ground flax, almond meal, egg replacer, and cinnamon.

Heat your griddle or large non-stick pan to medium heat.

Add the wet mix to the dry and stir until just mixed (don't over mix or they'll be chewy).

*Most important step! Do a mini tester pancake! I don't know why this helps, but when I skip this step, my first round of pancakes never comes out right...

Using a 1⁄4 cup, pour batter onto griddle. They are ready to flip when you see the bubbles start to pop. Flip, and cook for another minute.

Serve immediately with lots of earth balance and maple syrup! Enjoy!

How to Make Almond Milk!

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:50:00 +0000

When I make my own almond milk each week, I feel like I've one-upped Betty Crocker. It's fun, delicious and oh-so satisfying. And compared to boxed milk, it's much more rich and creamy. Yum! You're going to need a liter-sized mason jar, a big bowl, and a nut milk bag.

It might seem like a big to-do at first, but after you've done it once or twice and get the hang of it, it's super duper looper easy.

Makes about 6 cups

Step one: Soak 2 cups of almonds in filtered water overnight.

Step two: Rinse the almonds

Step three: Place almonds and about about 6 cups of water in your Vitamix or blender (I just fill it to the top line). Blend on high for up to 2 minutes until well blended.

(ooooooooooooh, frothy)

Step four: With a large bowl underneath to catch it, pour the almond "smoothie" into your nut milk bag and hang it from a cabinet.

Step five: With your hands at the top of the bag (so it doesn't all spill out), squeeze the liquid through the bag until you're left with the almond meal. Empty the almond meal from the bag, pour the milk from the bowl back in the blender, and run through the bag once more to catch the almond meal that may have leaked into the bowl.

Step six: Pour milk into a large mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a week!

Thanks for not milking my mama!

Heavenly Fried Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 02:33:00 +0000

Happy July!!! This freakishly flavorful dish is adapted from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. Alicia's is deeelicious; and we had a lot of fun putting our own little twist on it. The depth of flavor from the garlic and ginger is divine. I love this meal. Maybe a little too much. Don't tell Michael. What I have listed below is the "creme de la creme" version - feel free mix up the veggies and toppings. However! The magical ingredients I wouldn't mess with are the: vinegar, tamari, ginger and garlic. We make this with quinoa every now and then too! *sigh* ....it's so amazing and versatile :)

Serves 2 very hungry people

1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 cups cooked brown rice (about 1 cup uncooked)
1 head of broccoli, (about 2 cups of florets)
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped
15 baby carrots, sliced
1 portobello mushroom, sliced thin and then chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1⁄4 cup tamari
2 Tbsp plum vinegar
1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar

Toppings:
2 Tbsp coconut flakes
2 tsp sesame seeds
1⁄4 cup raw cashew pieces
4 Tbsp fresh cilantro and/or basil, chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Cook the rice (1 cup rice to 2 cups water. Add water and rice to a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer about 45 minutes. Fluff with fork).

Steam the broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers (If you don't have a veggie steamer, add them to the large pan after the mushroom). While those are steaming, heat sesame oil in a large pan. Add portobello mushroom and cook for 6-7 minutes until soft. Add garlic and ginger and cook another 3-4 minutes. Place rice and steamed veggies in the large pan. Add the tamari and vinegars and mix well. Cook another 3 minutes allowing flavors to incorporate. Add more tamari if needed.

Place in a bowl and top with coconut flakes, sesame seeds, cashews, cilantro, basil and green onion. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Summer Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 05:12:00 +0000

Could this be any more beautiful?? I love summer veggies! This is inspired by my all-time favorite Vegetarian Times recipe - the Toasted Panzanella Salad. I bulked it up with beans and quinoa to make it a complete meal. This is the perfect salad to take to a picnic or bbq or to impress your friends with when you have them for dinner. I could pretty much live on this stuff...and ice cream.

Serves 4 as a side, 2-3 as a main dish

2 organic cucumbers, quartered, seeded, then diced (peel the cucumber if it's not organic)
4 organic roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons (stack the leaves on top of one another, roll into a "cigar" and slice thin)
1⁄2 small red onion, finely chopped
1⁄4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2-3 tsp capers, drained
2 Tbsp red wine or plum vinegar
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp agave
zest of 2 lemons
juice of half a lemon
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked quinoa
pepper to taste

Cook the quinoa, allow to cool.

Cook garlic with a drizzle of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Allow to cool.

Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl. When quinoa and garlic are cool add them to the bowl and stir, combining well. Season with pepper to taste. Try it before adding any salt - it should be nice a salty with the olives and capers. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Enjoy!

p.s. it's about 90% raw!

p.p.s. Get a whole grain loaf of bread, cut into cubes, toss with olive oil, and bake on 350° for 10-15 minutes. Toss your home-made croutons in the salad...you'll die.

Mexicali Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:22:00 +0000

I promise I wouldn't post a salad unless it was dynamite, and this is nothing short of that. We have this for dinner at least once a week! The nutrition in this is off the charts - protein, potassium, iron, calcium, antioxidants, zinc, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, folate, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K - to name a few...it's exciting. What's also exciting is that you now have the recipes for our Marinated Kale and Chipotle Ranch! They're aaaawwweesooommee!!! Essentially, this salad is 3 staple recipes thrown together: Marinated Kale, Burrito Filling, and Chipotle Ranch, so it might seem like a lot of steps, but after you've made it once, you'll see just how simple it is!

Serves 2

For the marinated kale
(Do this step first )
a head of kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces (Kale is $1 at our farmer's market, OR Trader Joe's now sells it pre-washed and chopped in a bag! I prefer to buy from the markets whenever possible, but whatever works - as long as you're eating this INCREDIBLE food!)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp agave
a few dashes of salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with your hands, crushing and massaging (if you will) the kale to break it down. Set aside and let it marinate while you prepare the rest of the meal. I recommend marinating your kale every time you eat it raw. It breaks it down and makes it a lot easier to chew! If you have more marinated kale than you need, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

For the "Mexi" part
(a great recipe for burritos too!)
1 organic bell pepper, sliced in thin strips and then cut the strips in half
1⁄2 large red onion, sliced into thin strips
1 portobello mushroom, sliced in thin strips and then chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1⁄4-1⁄2 cup salsa

Heat a large pan to medium. Add a little coconut or olive oil. Add onions and a little salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add mushroom and cook 3 minutes more. Add bell pepper and garlic and cook until veggies are bright in color (about 6 minutes). Add beans and salsa, mix well, and cook for 3 minutes more.

For the "cali" part
(prepare while other veggies are cooking)
1 cup romaine lettuce, washed and roughly chopped
3 small or 2 regular sized tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 avocado, roughly chopped
1⁄4 cup cilantro, finely chopped and divided in half
1⁄4 cup raw pumpkin seeds and divided
1⁄4 cup raw sunflower seeds and divided
1⁄2 cup cooked and chilled quinoa, divided in half (optional)

Chipotle Ranch Dressing
(double this and have leftovers that keep for 5 days!)
1 cup Veganaise
1 tsp agave
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Chipotle seasoning (less if you don't like spicy)
pinch dried celery seed
1 tsp garlic powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
*1 tsp water or milk if too thick

Mix all ingredients well in a bowl.

Put it all together:
Place kale and romaine on the plate. Next goes the cooked "Mexi" veggies. Top with the "Cali" veggies and seeds, and finish off with plenty of Chipotle Ranch!

Shortcuts:
- use 1 tsp garlic powder instead of fresh garlic
- make quinoa a couple days in advance
- use bagged romaine
- make Chipotle Ranch a couple days in advance

Crazy Bran Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:02:00 +0000

I went to see an acupuncturist to try to find out why I've been fatigued in the afternoon. I drink my green juice, I eat my veggies, I eat plenty of protein, my sleep was good...I was stumped. He told me that for some people, hot and cold foods really affect their energy levels. He said that in Chinese medicine, your biggest and hottest meal is in the morning - it goes way back to the 4am start time on the farm. Since I was having green juice and smoothies for breakfast (very cold), I thought I'd give hot cereal a try. He was right. Crazy bran bowl in the morning and green juice and smoothies for lunch is the formula that works for me. It only takes about 6 minutes to make and it's delicious! Let's get crazy!

Serves 2

2 cups almond milk
2 cups oat bran
1⁄4 cup buckwheat
1⁄2 cup frozen blueberries
1 tsp maca
2 Tbsp sweetener of choice (I use agave and/or organic maple syrup)
1⁄4 cup raisins
1 tsp chia seeds
2 tsp cacao nibs

Add milk, oat bran, buckwheat, and frozen blueberries to a medium pot and turn heat to high. Cook on high for 4 minutes stirring very often. Reduce to medium high, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Pour cereal in a bowl, add maca and mix well. Add the sweetener, raisins, chia seeds and cacao nibs and enjoy.

Tip: I have all of the toppings in one cabinet in mason jars, so it takes about 30 seconds for me to throw them on!

Blood Orange Fig Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 02:31:00 +0000

I have a confession. I almost got selfish with this one. On Saturday we threw a surprise bridal shower for Kristen and I brought this along. It was inspired by a recipe we learned at a cooking class taught by Rachel Carr and Kristan Andrews of SunCafe. I also made the Southwest Quinoa Salad, hummus (I'll share that soon), and Michael made an almond cheeze log (stay tuned for that one!) There were mostly non-vegans, and I was worried it would get looked over, but boy oh boy was that chutney a hit! "Award-winning!" "Incredible!" "Oh my god are you kidding?!" 'What IS this!?" "Are you a professional chef?" "This is crack!" was some of the praise this unassuming little bowl of chutney received. So, for a good 5 minutes before I started typing this post I contemplated whether I should share it with the world, or keep it as my secret weapon. But - alas - I want to be popular and loved so here you go ;)

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups figs (de-stemmed and soaked for 30 minutes)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
the juice of one blood orange
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp agave

Process in food processor until smooth and well combined. Serve with chips or crackers and ideally some almond cheeze (recipe coming soon!).

Heaven. Seriously.

If you like this, please share it!

Animal Acres

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 06:05:00 +0000

This Sunday Kristen and I visited Animal Acres. It's my new favorite place in the world and I can't wait to go back. Here is their mission statement:

Animal Acres is a Los Angeles farmed animal sanctuary and compassionate learning center dedicated to rescuing and protecting farmed animals through rescue, education, and advocacy efforts. Animal Acres is located on a beautiful 26 acre hacienda ranch, just 45 minutes from Hollywood. We encourage people to visit, volunteer, and become involved in Animal Acres, to help create a more compassionate world for ALL.

For a $5 donation, we got an amazing hour and a half tour, interacted with the animals (who LOVED the attention), and received an incredible education on the animals at the sanctuary. It was an eye-opening, uplifting and deeply relaxing Sunday morning.

If you're in California, I highly encourage you to take a friend or two or twenty to spend a day at the sanctuary! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day.

me and Pinto....2500 pounds of pure love!

yum yum yum

hay heaven

Winston fell in LOVE with Kristen...and chased away those who dared to go near her!

Baby Cocoa was shy but slowly warmed up to us!

Cow kisses from Peanut!

Sweet little guy...

Prince would've jumped on my lap if he could have - cutest little kid!

afternoon nap time :)

Orange-Glazed Tempeh

noreply@blogger.com (Rach) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0000

You are going to LOVE this. I was in the mood for some comfort food, so I decided to experiment with some Tempeh! It's sooo easy and you'll feel like a pro. Tempeh is a great alternative to tofu because it's fermented. This means it's not as processed and much easier on your gorgeous insides :) For those of you who have yet to try tempeh and are a little put-off by it, just got for it! Once you make it, you'll love it and it won't be a stranger anymore. You can do it!

Serves 2

1 package gluten-free, organic Tempeh
juice of 2 oranges (I just squeezed it with my hands- no fancy juicer required..can't guarantee the yumminess if you use store-bought OJ - go for the gold! squeeze fresh oranges!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 cup low-sodium tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
1 Tbsp xylitol (a natural sugar alternative) or agave
6-8 dashes hot sauce

Slice tempeh into small, 1⁄4 inch thick strips. Place a vegetable steamer and a little water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add tempeh, cover and steam for about 10 minutes (this is the super secret trick that will allow your tempeh to absorb the amazing marinade you're about to make).

Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well. When tempeh is steamed, add it to the marinade using tongs. Cover bowl, and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.

Heat a large pan to medium heat, and add a Tbsp coconut oil (click here for a video explaining the awesomeness of coconut oil). Using tongs, place tempeh in pan and pour a couple spoonfuls of the marinade over the tempeh. Cook 5-6 minutes until golden brown on each side. *Wait until your pan is fully heated to add oil and tempeh.

Remove from heat and serve with a green (i.e. steamed broccoli or asparagus with some earth balance, salt and lemon juice) and a grain (i.e. quinoa, brown rice, or mashed sweet potatoes)!

Enjoy!!