My Meatless Monday Recipe Blog

California Waldorf

2013-05-10T11:34:00.000-04:00

This salad sells out in record time. Good thing its fast and easy

5 apples washed and chopped with peel on! (I like to use a variety of apples just because i have that ability working at the store but any sweet apple will work).

2 stalks celery washed and chopped fine

1 cup walnuts chopped and toasted in the oven for about 7 mins at 350

2 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup plump raisins( not the ones you've had in the cupboard since last year that are little rocks lol)

2 tbsp lemon juice

Dressing:1 1/4 cup veganaise
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili powder
Mix together dressing ingredients and set aside.

Method:

Mix together apples and lemon juice and stir well. Add celery, nuts, spinach and dried fruit. Mix well then add dressing mixture and serve.

Orange Pecan Cherry Scones

2013-05-10T11:16:00.001-04:00

My mom used to make beautiful tea braids that we all loved and these are just as good and less work..sorry mom :)

2 1/2 light spelt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 cup dried tart cherries or dried cranberries if you can't find them
2 large oranges
1/2 cup earth balance..I always keep this in the freezer for making these or vegan pastry it's a must
1/2 cup vegan milk or so...sometimes it takes a bit more
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp almond extract

Glaze:1 cup Icing sugar, Zest of one orange, 2 tbsp fresh orange juice, 1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350

Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, icing sugar, zest, sugar, and almond extract. Stir well. Add cold earth balance and using a pastry blender mix in dry ingredients like you would if you were making pastry. If you have a food processor you could just pulse the mixture till fine crumbs. Add cherries, pecans and add just enough vegan milk till mixture just holds together like biscuits. I like to use my hands to do this mixing because I can feel when there's enough milk. Lightly squeeze a handful of dough. If it holds together it has enough milk. If you add a bit too much it'll still be good but be more of a drop biscuit dough.

I sometime use an ice cream scoop to make these at work just to make them all exactly the same size!

On a cookie sheet lined with parchment form dough into a flat circle about 1 and 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 6 or 8 triangles, which ever you prefer and space out evenly on baking sheet. Bake till just starting to brown and are slightly firm when pressed with a finger approx 15-20 mins.

let cool 5 mins and drizzle with glaze

Cinnamon Bun Muffins

2013-05-10T10:42:00.002-04:00

These will probably be the best muffins of your life if you love cinnamon buns like I do.

2 1/2 cup light spelt flour
1 cup ground almonds
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup earth balance melted
2 tbsp flax mixed with 1/3 cup water(let sit 5 mins)
11/2 cup Vegan milk-I like to use the fresh coconut milk from So Nice
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup currants

Swirl:

1/3 cup earth balance
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp spelt flour
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tbsp cinnamon

12 or so pecan halves

Glaze: 1 cup icing sugar with 3 tbsp vegan milk and a tsp of vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin tins with easy release muffin liners(parchment). Mix all ingredients for swirl as like crumb topping and set aside.

Mix together all dry ingredients. Mix together all wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and stir only about 4 times till just coming together. Add in swirl mixture. Stir a couple of times till just combined as per muffins, be careful not to over mix.

Using a ice cream scoop( I have one that is approx 1/3 cup and its perfect for home size muffins). Fill muffin cups and top with 1 pecan half.

Bake for approx 15-20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 5 mins then remove from pan and drizzle with glaze. Let glaze set and serve...YUM!

Gluten Free Mango Quinoa

2013-01-18T11:46:00.001-05:00

Sometimes work can be a challenge. This year with the frost in California wiping out a lot of organic produce, shelves were bare and it was time to get the creativity flowing. This day there were only red bell peppers and Mangoes. Did I mention I LOVE MANGOES!

1 cup Quinoa
1 chickenless chicken cube. I used edward and son brand.
1 large mango or 2 small mangos cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp chili flakes
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp lite tamari wf
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil (untoasted)or any lite flavoured vegetable oil
1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced
1/2 small red onion peeled and diced

In a medium sized pot bring 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water and 1 chickenless chicken cube to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and allow to cook till all water has been absorbed(i don't cover my quinoa this method works better for me as I get a drier end product)
In a small bowl add, lime juice, rice vinegar, tamari, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil, sesame oil or veg oil.Toss in Mango. Reserve.

Let quinoa cool then add chopped veggies, cilantro, toasted sesame seeds and salad dressing with mango.

Serve.

Gluten Free Coconut Mango Muffins

2013-01-18T11:26:00.000-05:00

Hey Peeps. Ive notice the Wheat Belly is #1 on the Best Sellers list so I've been doing some more recipes for you that are a healthier alternative to most GF recipes you'll find around and these babies are sooo good. If you love mangos and coconut you'll love it.These muffins will not rise like regular muffins but are just as good if not better.

**I have made some amendments for those of you would prefer lower sugar and fat. These changes do not affect the flavour just the sweetness. Follow ingredients but change maple syrup and coconut oil amounts to 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 and increase mango nectar by 1/4 cup. Those changes will give you a muffin with approx 196 calories, 21 grams carbohydrate(less than a medium apple), 12 grams healthy fats, 4 grams protein according to My fitness Pal calorie calculator.**

2 small Mangos or one large, peeled and diced
3 small limes or 2 large zest and juice
2 tbsp ground flax or whole chia seeds
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 cups gf oat bran
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 cups ground almonds
1 cup desicated coconut
1 tsp almond extract
3 tbsp arrowroot starch
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 3/4 cup mango nectar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Pour juice of 3 small limes and their zest over diced mangos and let sit while making batter. Mix together all dry ingredients and stir then add all wet ingredients. Don't worry about any fancy techniques as you can't over mix gf muffin batter so don't worry about anything. Add mangoes and stir. Let batter sit about 30 mins. Line muffin tins with muffin cups. Bake for approx 24 mins or until not soft when lightly touched and slightly browned.

Let sit in pan till mostly cool or they will crumble gf baking has no gluten so the only thing holding them together is the tinest amount of starch and a prayer. Just kidding. Once cooled they are pretty sturdy for gf and tender lovely muffins.

This recipe will make 24 muffins.

**if you want you can freeze this muffin batter in the muffin trays and bake them off bit by bit. Do everything like you were about to bake them and put in the freezer. Place frozen muffins in a container or bag in the freezer. To bake remove from freezer and into muffin pan. Allow to thaw then bake as usual. Baking time may vary a bit.

Gluten Free Curried Rice And Lentil Salad

2012-11-23T11:27:00.001-05:00

This is a really flavourful recipe that is getting really great reviews. Can be served warm for a main dish with salad because of the lentils it makes a really satisfying dish especially for a cold winter day. YUM!

2 cups Country or wild rice mix: we carry country mix in bulk at Market organics or you could use a lundberg or other brand wild rice mix. They have brown rice and wild mixed together if you can't find either.

1 cup lentils, Brown or dupuy(not red or yellow)

3/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup mango chutney

1/3 cup lemon juice, I used bottled

1/2 cup rice bran or other light flavored oil

1/2 bunch green onions sliced

1 stalk celery chopped fine

1/2 cup raisins

1 handful of parsley washed well and chopped

Cook rice mix according to directions. At same time place lentils in a medium size pot. Cover lentils with 4 cups water let cook till lentils give when pressed lightly between two fingers. Lentils will cook way faster than the rice. Approx 20 mins check for doneness then drain and make dressing.

While waiting place all spices, chutney, lemon and salt together and let marinate while rice cooks(do not add oil yet or the spices won't infuse the lemon juice).When rice is done put into large bowl with raisins and let cool for approx 15 mins. Add oil to marinating dressing then add lentils, veggies and dressing to rice mixture and stir well. Eat right away or eat as cold salad.

Gluten free Buffalo Cauliflower

2012-11-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! I hope you are enjoying the recipes I've been posting and it would really be nice to hear from some of you that are visiting the site and what recipes are your favourites or any suggestions you have for others. As I have said before these recipes I put on this site are ones that I have created so not all recipes from Market Organics kitchen will be on this blog. I have several new recipes that I will be posting here and my other blog so please check back often to see whats new. I saw a recipe for this online, while I loved the idea it didn't seem to have enough flavour for my liking and it wasn't gf so this my take on a great idea.

If you love hot wings you'll love this recipe. Even if you don't like cauliflower, just ask my daughter Paige who apparently hates cauliflower but ate probably a half of a whole cauliflower dressed up as a vegan hot wing of sorts.

Buffalo Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower cut up into chicken wing sized florets
1/4-1/3 bottle of hot sauce or more, use your favourite
2-4 tbsp vegetable oil something light tasting such as grapeseed or rice bran depends on size of cauliflower
1/4 c plain rice crackers or Lundberg tortilla chips crushed fine or wizzed around in the food processor
2 tbsp corn meal it keeps its crunch and is a great textural component!
1/2 c nutritional yeast just cuz its yummy and rounds out the flavour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt and a sprinkle of pepper

Preheat oven to 450

In a large bowl toss cauliflower with ingredients above. Mix well then spread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in oven for 10 mins then stir and put back in oven for 5 minutes-ish increments until fork tender(stir each time you check for doneness).

Yummy dipping sauce:

1 c veganaise
2 tbsp lemon juice, I just used bottled
1/4 c Nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch salt

Mix and use as dip!

Asian Coleslaw

2012-10-16T15:41:00.000-04:00

This recipe is still a popular seller at Market Organics. People often ask for me to make it or for the recipe. I thought I had posted it but...oops. So here it is..one of my first salad recipes ever.

1/4 c vegetable oil( grape seed ,canola, rice bran, whatever light flavoured oil you have)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp brown sugar

3 tbsp lite tamari

1.5 tsp bragg or regular soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1 small green cabbage shredded

3 green onions sliced small

2 carrots shredded

1 stalk celery finely chopped

2 tbsp black or regular toasted sesame seeds

2 tbsp sunflower seeds
**you could add crunched up ramen noodles too but we like to keep it gluten free

Mix together top six ingredients and let sit about five minutes. Add all ingredients together in a large bowl, stir well and serve.

**This recipe contains tamari and soy sauce or bragg. The tamari has a different flavour and using only bragg/soy sauce or only tamari instead of a combination will not taste quite as good but passable.

Summer Pea Soup

2012-07-27T07:57:00.001-04:00

Gotta love pea soup, bright basil flavour and smooth texture. Lovely warm or cold. Try it even if you HATE split pea. Lauren is one of my favourite tasters at work who is a long time split pea hater and she loved this soup.

2 bags frozen or 4-5 cups fresh peas

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 chopped zucchini

1 diced onion

5 cloves garlic minced

2 not-chicken(vegan) bouillon cubes

1 small celery root peeled and chopped(if you aren't familiar with celery root, peel deeper than you would a potato as the outside can be quite tough)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tsp mustard powder

1 small bunch fresh basil leaves rolled up and sliced thinly( about 20 nice size leaves)

1 tsp salt

1 cup silk coffee creamer*(you could use 10% cream here or see additional notes on other creamer ideas if you are not a fan of using soy milk products)

3 tbsp Evoo(extra virgin olive oil)

Saute in a family size soup pot in 3 tbsp evoo, onion, garlic, and celery on medium high heat until onions are translucent. Add bouillon cubes, celery root, zucchini, all seasonings, and 6 cups water(or enough water to cover veggies)to pot and cook till all veggy's are super tender. Remove from heat and add peas and coffee creamer. Let cool till just warm then add basil leaves. Puree with hand blender or vitamix. Add lemon juice and taste...Adjust salt and lemon juice to your preference if needed.

**I serve this luke warm as its a summer soup and if its hot it won't be as bright green, that's why you don't add the basil till its just a bit warm**

** if soup is too thick adjust with more stock and taste for seasonings again. Depends on how long you simmered and if there may have been too much evaporation**

PSS: If you can not tolerate soy or just want to limit your use of soy(in the silk creamer) you could soak approx 3/4 c raw cashews in hot water till softened and puree. Add enough water till its like creamer and use as a replacement for creamer..you may have to adjust the soup seasonings just a bit.

Ok..so I have to stop using my iphone to take pictures because this picture isn't showing the real beautiful colour of this yummy soup. I drizzled some of this olive oil with basil on the top of my bowl of soup for fun...but its just as good without it.

Vegan creamer...great in desserts or creamy soups as well as coffee obviously. It comes in a couple fun flavours but I mostly use this plain one.

Gluten free Good Morning Cookies

2012-07-25T17:01:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't like cookies for breakfast?
Great tasting and healthy, full of omega 3's, protein, and fibre. Make them for those crazy, busy, get out the door days.
I have used an online calculator to give you an idea of the nutritional breakdown:
224 calories, 21 carbs( less than an apple), 13 g healthy fat, 7 g protein(same as one egg) 2.5 g fibre

Good Morning Cookies

Preheat oven to 350

1 cup Red quinoa, wash well, drain, then cook in 1 cup water without lid till water is absorbed
(this is less water than you would use to cook quinoa for a side salad because I want them to have a crunchy texture)When done spread on cookie sheet and bake for 10 mins to dry then add:

1/2 cup ground almonds
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Add all above ingredients to quinoa on cookie sheet and stir well. Toast in oven for 10 minutes.

In mixing bowl, add:

1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup bobs red mill gluten free baking mix

Add cooled quinoa mixture and stir till well combined.

Scoop out approx 1/4 cup batter per cookie. Roll into balls and flatten to about 1/2 their original size. Bake on Parchment lined baking sheet at 350 for 14-15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes then put them on rack to cool completely. Makes 15 cookies

Drying the quinoa

Beside the 1/4 metal measuring cup...just for size visual

Perfect breaky on the run with a fresh local peach...yum!

Dillicious Quinoa Salad

2012-07-23T15:48:00.000-04:00

This salad is light and fresh tasting. Great for those hot days when the last thing you want to do is eat but you're starving. My favourite salad right now!

1 tbsp garlic minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp mustard seeds brown or white
3 cups white quinoa
5.5 cups water
2 non chicken but chicken flavoured veggy broth cubes
1 bag edamame shelled(frozen) throw in boiling water for 3 mins then drain and set aside
1 large bunch baby dill, chopped
1/2 one red onion, finely diced(toss a splash of wine vinegar on these while doing everything else just to marinate them a bit and get rid of that intense onion taste, drain off before putting in salad)
1 bunch small asparagus or green beans cleaned and chopped in about 3 pieces per
(roast asparagus or beans in 350 oven with a bit of evoo and garlic granules till fork tender about 7-10 mins)
1 pkg of cherry tomatoes halved
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup avocado oil

Wash quinoa in a bowl squishing in water with your hands like an agitator getting that sometimes bitter sap off the quinoa about 2 minutes. Drain with a fine metal strainer and set aside. In a pot, pour 2 tbsp of evoo, garlic, turmeric, and mustard seeds. Saute on Medium high heat for approx 2 minutes. Add 5.5 cups of water and veggy broth cubes. Bring to a boil then add quinoa carefully not to splash on yourself. ( I don't cover quinoa..its not rice and doesn't need to be covered) turn burner down to medium and allow to boil lightly until water is evaporated and absorbed. About 10ish minutes. Dump hot quinoa in a large bowl that can with stand heat and fan the quinoa up the sides so the heat will dissipate and the quinoa will cool and stop cooking faster. Let cool about 20 mins. Add all veggies, oil and vinegar. Stir lightly and add dill...stir..serve..yum...good warm or cold
**with the veggy cubes I use in the quinoa while cooking I find this salad doesn't need salt but taste and add salt if needed.

Gluten free Mushroom Ragu

2012-07-21T08:10:00.001-04:00

This recipe is for all those mushroom lovers. Delicious and comforting. Unfortuately I haven't been able to make this dish in a while as I have been out of the less expensive dried wild mushrooms I was picking up from costco especially for this dish. Oh well...if you love mushrooms you'll adore this dish. Its fast and tasty and looks pretty fancy! I serve it over polenta but you can serve it over rice or mashed taters if you like :).

1.5 cup dried wild mushrooms like chanterelles or just a mix, put in bowl and just cover with boiling water and let sit(save this water for the sauce)

1 small pkg of brown mushrooms cleaned and sliced ( the little square things you buy at the grocery store..sorry can't remember how many grams it is..i'll try to remember to update this)

1.5 tsp dry thyme leaves

1.5 tsp dry chives

1.5 tsp dry parsley or 2 tbsp fresh

1/4 tsp dry mustard pwd

1/4 tsp white pepper

2 tbsp wheat free lite tamari

1 tsp black truffle oil

1 shallot minced

3 cloves garlic minced

1.5 tbsp Earth balance

1 cup Silk creamer

1.5 tbsp rice flour

In large sauce pan, saute on medium high heat, shallot and garlic with brown mushrooms till fragrant and shallots are translucent.Add spices and seasoning and rice flour, stir till combined, lower burner temperature to medium low. Add dried mushrooms and their water, tamari, and silk simmer for approx 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If wild mushrooms are not tender enough simmer longer or till desired adding a bit more water if there is too much evaporation and the sauce is becoming too thick. When done add 1 tsp black truffle oil, taste and add salt or pepper if needed then serve over cooked polenta or whatever you desire.

* we sell white and black truffle oil at Market organics, Its about 20$ but it lasts forever and is great in stews and soup that need an extra something, something. Try it!

Vegan "Meat" Loaf

2012-06-27T15:54:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just want something like mom used to make and this is it. FYI you'll need a food processor for this recipe.

1 onion
1 stalk celery
3 cloves garlic
1 cup brown mushrooms

Puree above ingredients in food processor till mush. Add this mixture to a large bowl.

In food processor:

2 cups walnuts
3/4 cup oatmeal

Process together till walnuts are small crumbs then add to veggie mixture in bowl and add the following ingredients:

2 pkgs soy meat crumbs such as Yves Veggie ground round or Sol Veggie crumbs
2 tbsp dry basil
2 tbsp almond butter( or whatever nut butter you have)
2 tbsp Olive oil
4 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 tbsp Vegan worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
2 tbsp braggs
1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
2 tbsp yellow prepared mustard
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix together well and press into a large loaf pan or other baking pan. Cover with foil and bake 30 mins. Uncover and bake additional 15-30 mins.

This stuff is great the next day for sandwiches or fried up like veggie burgers..mmmm

Gluten Free Pink Cherry Muffins

2012-06-26T21:03:00.000-04:00

Mmmm muffins. Love them, especially healthy ones. Everyone is crazy about gluten free these days but most of the muffin mixes or breads you can buy are full of starches which your body processes like sugar so some people may even gain weight if they are using those starchy products. This recipe I created is full of fiber, protein and is a healthy morning treat that will keep you full for hours.

This recipe contains beet powder from the Salus company. Its 100% crystalized beets, its tasty and a fun colour. We carry it at our store and I wanted to use it in these muffins but if you can't find it just omit it, we love it.

Pink Cherry Muffins

2 cups Almond flour

1 cup gluten free oat bran

1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp red beet powder

1/4 cup chickpea flour

2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 1/3 cup water

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup coconut milk( we use the fresh stuff we have in tetra packs not canned. Its low fat and more like real milk)

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup dried tart cherries

1/2 cup rice bran oil or other acceptable veggy oil

Mix together. Don't worry about over mixing as there is NO gluten to get tough here so mix till your hearts content. Let sit approx 15 mins to let oat bran absorb some of the liquid. Scoop into muffin tins. Bake at 350 for approx 20 mins. Let cool in pans...Just like most gf baking they are fragile while warm. Let them cool off and firm up.

Thai Black Rice Salad

2012-06-26T18:56:00.002-04:00

I love this salad! The forbidden rice used in this salad has a lovely flavour and chew and is full of antioxidants. More like a white rice in texture but so much healthier. It takes a while to cook it right but please follow these cooking instructions, if its over cooked it never tastes as good and absorbs too much of the dressing leaving the salad bland and dry.

2 cups forbidden rice : wash rice by adding water and swishing with hands or spoon and drain, add rice to a medium size pot and add 3 1/2 cups water. Let sit for 1 hour. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 35 mins. Remove from heat. Do not remove lid for 10 minutes. Remove lid and transfer to a large boil and fluff. Let cool till just warm and add veggies and dressing.

Dressing:

1/4 sesame oil or any mild flavoured veggy oil such as grapeseed or rice bran oil

1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/3 cup tamari

1.5 tbsp agave syrup

1/4 tsp chili flakes

2 cloves minced garlic

1.5 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Veggies:

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

1/2 bag of edamame beans( found in most freezer sections at supermarkets) boiled for 3 minutes and drained.

1 cup toasted cashews( I like the lightly salted ones)

1/2 bunch green onions or chives sliced

Mix and eat. Its good warm or cold. Great for lunches!

Homestyle Vegan Potato Salad

2012-06-26T17:46:00.002-04:00

Hey Peeps! Its been a while since I posted a recipe or two but I'm BACK. My youngest daughter has moved home from college to save some money so we moved into a bigger apartment in Ottawa. Busy, busy but things have calmed down for a bit so I hope to be posting like mad in the next weeks to come. I have developed several new recipes that I want to share with everyone and have been promising regulars at the store. So sorry that its taken so long!
This recipe is one that I started at Natures Fare in Kelowna when I worked there at the Lakeshore Location. Since making it at Market Organics this potato salad flies out of the store all summer long. Enjoy :)

Homestyle Vegan Potato Salad

6 medium red potatoes, cut in halves then quartered, boil in salted water till fork tender, drain and cool

Dressing:
1 1/2 cup Veganaise
1/4 cup prepared Mustard(just the regular type kids like)
1/4 cup fresh dill or 2 tbsp dry
1 tsp Salt ( or a bit more to taste)
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
3 green onions or small bunch chives sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped fine

Cut potatoes into small chunks and mix with dressing and veggies. Taste and adjust salt or dill and depending on size of potatoes or desired creaminess you may have to add a bit more veganaise and mustard. Best picnic salad ever. Just sayin.

I will post photos of this salad soon. I get busy at work and forget..Sorry

Gluten Free Orange Date mini muffins

2012-02-19T15:16:00.001-05:00

OK...2 words...LOVE THESE! Low carb, gluten free! YUM

Orange Date mini Muffins

1.5 c Ground Almonds
2 tbsp chia with 6 tbsp water(let sit till gelified)
1/4 c coconut flour
1 large navel orange. Zest and juice to make 3/4 cup( might need a bit more juice then the orange will give so buy a little orange juice just to be sure)
1/3 c pitted chopped dates
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil(melted if necessary)

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all ingredients together and using a scoop drop into a mini muffin pan that has been misted with cooking spray.

Bake for 17-20 mins

Remember these are gluten free so don't expect them to rise like regular muffins but the texture is beautiful and tender.

I can't remember for sure but i think they'll only make 17 mini muffins.

Mexican Mac and cheeze

2012-02-19T15:01:00.001-05:00

Gotta love mac and cheese but this baby is vegan and delicious. Quickly becoming a favorite at Market Organics customers vegan and non alike for its creamy and cheesy taste.

Mexican Mac and Cheeze

1 pkg veggie spirals or other pasta of your choice
1/2 pkg organic silken tofu
3 tbsp cashew butter
1 tbsp dry mustard powder
2/3 c earth balance
3/4 tsp turmeric
1.5 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp hot sauce( franks red hot or something like it)
1/4 c braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
1/3 tsp chipotle powder
2.5 c Nutritional Yeast
1 28oz can diced tomato
2 green peppers seeded and diced
1 red pepper seeded and diced

**panko for topping**

Preheat oven to 350

Cook veggy spirals according to pkg. Mean while mix all ingredients but the peppers and tomatoes together in a food processor till well combined. Add mixture to a large enough saucepan to hold mixture, tomatoes and peppers. Heat on medium high heat until peppers begin to soften then remove from heat.

In a greased 9x13 inch pan add sauce and drained cooked noodles and stir well. Sprinkle with panko and bake for 30 mins.

Allow to cool ten minutes before serving.

The Green Party

2012-02-19T14:35:00.004-05:00

This is a fresh and light vinaigrette with loads of flavor. Amazing with any greens or sprouts you have kicking around. Get creative. I call it the green party because of the lovely green hemp oil that I use in it and besides we are in Ottawa so it always gets a giggle or two when people order it.

1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 tbsp dry parsley
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp Dijon
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves(approx 3 stems)
1/4 c hemp oil
1/4 c white balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp fresh chive or green onion(green only)
1/4 tsp pepper

Buzz all ingredients around in your blender or food processor and use as desired.

The green party was feeling wild this week with paper thin slices of zucchini, red onion, grape tomatoes, spring mix, romaine, cucumber and blueberries.

Low Carb Almond Crackers

2012-02-19T14:17:00.000-05:00

I love crackers! It is a fact and a downfall to many diet attempts until I made these. Many crackers are extremely high in carbohydrate which spurs on my appetite and before I realize it I've eaten the whole box or embarrassing close to it. These babies are low carb, tasty and yummy with dip or alone. This recipe will take you approx 10 mins to throw together and into the oven so get on it!

Almond crackers

2 cups ground almonds

1 c water

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp vegetable oil(whatever you have I often use rice bran oil but canola is fine)

3/4 tsp dill

3/4 tsp granulated garlic

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds(I used black sesame seeds)

Preheat oven to 350

In bowl add water and oil, add chia seed(they do not have to be ground)stir. Let sit for 5 mins. Add all other ingredients and stir well.

On cookie sheet lined with parchment paper drop spoonfuls of almond mixture onto sheet evenly spaced over the whole cookie sheet(this makes it easier to spread evenly around the cookie sheet) then pat with your hand until covering the entire cookie sheet.

I was reading the Pioneers woman blog and she had a caption under one of her photos stating that the hands in the photo weren't hers. I thought that was hilarious as is it hilarious that these chubby babies(hands) are in fact MINE!

Place in oven.

Bake 30 minutes and remove from oven, turn down oven to 200 then cut into crackers with a non serrated knife, just pressing down without dragging or sawing through the crackers. Leave as is on the cookie sheet. We are just cutting at this stage so that we are not trying to cut them when they are too hard or they will crumble. When you have finished cutting put them back in the oven for 45min or up to an hour or so until they have reached desired crispiness.

Cutting the crackers with a scraper or knife

Ready!

As the crackers harden and bake they will shrink as the moisture is leaving and they are becoming crisp and yummy. Enjoy

Yum!

Gluten free Banana snack

2012-01-29T13:48:00.000-05:00

So this week I have been working on a couple fun recipes that are higher in protein and lower in carbohydrate for those of us that have great ability to store carbs on their thighs like me. These little nuggets have 3 g of protein and 11g of carbohydrate and 2.7g of fiber. Pretty balanced and will keep your blood sugar nice and even..oh ya..and 97 calories and 4 grams of fat for those that care. :)

These dudes would also be an acceptable snack for paleo diets.

Gluten free Banana Snacks

1.5 Ground almonds
1/4 c coconut flour
2 tbsp of chia added to 1/3 c water and let to sit till the consistency of egg whites
1/2 c dates
1/2 c mashed banana
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 c shredded zucchini
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl mash banana, add coconut oil(melt if solid), vanilla, maple syrup, zucchini, and chia seeds that have been in water and allowed to gelify.

Mix in separate bowl all dry ingredients and stir well. Add to wet ingredients. Batter will seem dry but the zucchini will add moisture while cooking.

Spray muffin tin with oil spray

Scoop into small muffin pan( i have one that is in between a home size muffin pan and a mini muffin. If you only have a regular home size use about half the amount that you would usually fill too.

Bake for 20 mins.

**remember these are gluten free..they will not rise up and look like regular muffins but they are yummy and tender just like them**

Salted Herbs

2012-01-29T09:27:00.001-05:00

Last year I was watching the food network...AGAIN and saw a french chef use something called salted herbs. This idea made me excited and I started searching the internet for the hows and uses of this dandy idea. Traditionally a french canadian recipe for keeping fresh herbs handy all through the winter. I was pretty stoked to find a way to have fresh herbs on hand for soups, salad dressings and other fun recipes that could use them and the results have been amazing! If you don't have your own garden buy fresh fragrant herbs at the grocery store or better yet the farmers market and make some magic. It is easy peasey and you'll feel brilliant every time you use them.

This is my basil mix for soups, so fragrant I always have a big whiff of them before I scoop out a little bit of heaven. A word of caution though. Remember this is really salt heavy so watch the seasoning! Especially the first time till you kind of know what to expect. My first time my dish was a bit salty.

FYI:Remember that the amount of flavour in one tablespoon is huge because its more concentrated than just using fresh herbs. Normally when I make a soup at home I only need 1 heaped tbsp to create the flavour I want.

The basic idea is this:

1 cup basil chopped
1 cup parsley chopped
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup celery and their leaves chopped fine
1 cup chives or green onion chopped fine
5 cloves garlic mashed
1/4-1/2 cup coarse salt( I used closer to 1/3 cup because this recipe wasn't as big as some others)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and pack into a large jar and keep in the fridgerator.
Occasionally press down and drain off the liquids that accumulate.
After 2 weeks scoop the mixure out into a bowl and lightly squeeze the mixture to get rid of any excess fluid. Pack into clean a clean jar and keep in fridge and use as desired.

Try other combination of herbs. I have a dill one as well that is amazing!
I didn't get around to making a cilantro based one but its on my to do list for this year.

Vegetable Medley

2012-01-28T10:27:00.002-05:00

This dish is really yummy! Simple and fresh tasting. I love making it with fresh green beans, and always add zucchini but its up to you what you use with a couple really simple additions and a quick vinaigrette to amp it up! This is the mix of veggies I usually do. Roasting some and leaving some raw adds texture and fresh taste to the dish.

Vegetable Medley

2 good hand fulls of green or yellow beans or mix
2 nice size zucchini's sliced into rounds 1/4 inch thick or little less
1 hand full grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half if they are bigger than average
1/4 red onion cut in half and sliced thin
1/2 orange or yellow bell pepper cleaned of seeds and sliced in thin long slices
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar or white balsamic
3 tbsp old fashioned mustard with the whole mustard seeds
1 tbsp dry dill
1 tbsp dry basil
1 tsp garlic granules
1 clove garlic minced
salt and fresh cracked pepper

Vegetable Medley with snow peas instead of beans.

Preheat oven to 400.

Place racks in oven so that you can put in two cookie sheets and roast zucchini and beans on separate sheets.

On 2 cookie sheets ( l like to use parchment for easy clean up but its not necessary) use one for beans and the other for zucchini.

Drizzle each sheet of veggies with 1 tbsp of EVOO(extra virgin olive oil) in a small bowl mix dill, basil, and garlic granules. Sprinkle 1/2 this mixture on each sheet so the veggies are are equally herby.Mix well stirring with your hands.

**DO NOT SALT VEGGIES TILL AFTER ROASTING as the moisture from the veggies will make the veggies steam and not be as crispy!

Place sheets in oven and set timer for 10 mins.

Mix together 2 tbsp evoo, vinegar, mustard, and 1 clove of garlic.. 1/4 tsp fresh pepper. And let sit till ready to dress medley

Take out veggies and check with fork to see if they are tender crisp. I like to cook the veggies separate because sometimes one will cook faster than the other and if they are cooked together some get mushy.

If the beans get a bit brown on the bottom it is fine. It tastes yummy that way. I like the beans to be a bit crisp. Eat one to check. If ready sprinkle lightly with salt and stir. Sometimes beans can take 15- 20 mins. to bake to the right tenderness.

Check zucchini. If a fork goes in easy they are ready. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Zucchini usually takes 10-15 mins to be the correct tenderness.

Put roasted veggies in a large bowl with onions, tomatoes, and peppers. Dress with the Vinaigrette.
Sooo good!

** you can stir fry these veggies instead of roasting but I find roasting adds great flavour and even cooking. Try it**

Caesar Salad

2012-01-28T09:17:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, sorry that its been a while! I've been patiently waiting for a new computer and alas it is here! Now I'm still getting used to a Mac after years of PC so there were some growing pains but I'm back. We've been really busy at MO(Market Organics)developing new and exciting recipes and getting ready for this years byward market stew cook off. Pretty excited this year after doing so well last year but definitely more pressure and expectations on myself to do well...FINGERS CROSSED! Anyways blah blah blah...and here is a new recipe for Caesar Salad I devised. Its really close to the real thing with out soy if you buy a soy free miso. YUM!

This recipe makes 2 large Salads or enough for a bunch of little ones. The dressing will last at least a week in the fridge.

Caesars Cousin Veganza

1\4 c Cashew butter
1 tbsp miso
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp capers
3-4 tbsp lemon juice(I used organic Santa Cruz lemon juice. If you use fresh you may need more)
1/4 c Nutritional Yeast
1/4 c Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
6 cloves garlic(these were small) or 3 large
3 tbsp water
3/4 tsp pepper

Crush garlic with a garlic press and whisk all ingredients together till nice and creamy.

Salad

Romaine Lettuce
Croutons
Lemon wedges if desired.

When making any dressed salad its important to wash your lettuce really well and spin dry the leaves in a lettuce spinner so the dressing will stick to the leaves and not get watered down.

Toss as much or as little dressing as you would like on dry Romaine Lettuce that has been torn or cut with a lettuce knife into bite size pieces add croutons if you like and garnish with lemon....mmmm..eat.

**you can make this salad a meal if you add some tofu bacon bits or fakin for protein**

Raspberry Dream Squares

2011-12-05T15:42:00.001-05:00

Very much like the other but NOT. Super yummy and caramelly.

3/4 c Earth balance
1 1/2 c light spelt flour plus 2 tbsp or 1 1/2 all purpose flour ( the extra 2 tbsp isn't necessary)
3 tbsp icing sugar

Mix together with fingers or food processor and press into a 9x13 pan and turn on oven to 350 to preheat then make topping.

1/2 c Earth Balance Melted
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1/4 c Brown rice syrup
1/2 c sucanat
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c french vanilla silk
1/2 c light spelt flour or all purpose
1/2 c desicated coconut
1/2 c pecans chopped

1/2 c raspberry jam

Mix together all ingredients but jam, making sure there are no lumps of flour left. Spread a thin lay of jam all over crust. Cover jam layer with coconut/pecan filling. Bake at 350 approx 25 mins till no longer runny and has a caramelly color.
Cool and cut into squares and share with friends...or don't i won't tell anyone :)