The Full Course

Crispy Tofu :D

2012-06-18T17:08:00.002-04:00

I'm about to make a nice DELICIOUS dinner. It's the crispy tofu from Oh She Glows.

I also got my Baked Sweet Potato Fries recipe from this post...which I'm also making tonight :D

Click here to see the recipe and post from Angela.

Pictures coming soon :D

Garlic Knots

2012-06-18T16:00:00.000-04:00

I occasionally crave Garlic knots and this is my fav recipe. I got it from this website.
I tried making these with whole wheat flour, but they didn't come out that good. I will try to play around with the recipe and update ya'll.

This recipe makes about 24 medium sized knots.

I only made half of the recipe :D

Dough Ingredients:

3 cups AP flour
30 grams yeast (1 packet)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Garlic Butter recipe:

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon vegan margarine
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch salt
1-2 teaspoons Italian herbs
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Put the warm water in a bowl, add the sugar and the yeast and allow to grow in a warm place for 5 minutes or until bubbly.
Place the flour, and salt in a bowl and mix so that the salt is mixed in with the flour.
Mix both mixtures together with a wooden spoon, and turn onto a counter and knead the dough.
Allow to rise in a warm area with a clean towel over the top.
Allow it to double in size, that will be about 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes depending upon the temperature.
When the dough is ready, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and kneed it lightly.
Bake in a preheated 450 F / 232 C oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough.

9.Cut the dough into strips.

10. Form each strip into a knot and place in a lightly oiled pan.

Before

After

While the knots are baking, prepare the garlic butter.
Melt the vegan margarine and olive oil in a small sauce pan.
Add the minced garlic, but keep the heat low, as you do not want to brown the garlic.
Add the rest of the seasonings and keep the mixture warm.
When the knots are done, remove from the oven and drizzle the garlic “butter” over each of the knots.
Sprinkle extra minced parsley as a garnish.

Quinoa Patties

2012-06-12T18:20:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite vegan things to eat is Quinoa!! It's so hearty and delicious :D
I literally copy/pasted this recipe from Savvyvegetarian.com. The link to the recipe is here.

These patties go great with Vegan Mac and Cheese. :D

For information on quinoa and other ingredients, click here.

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaf
1/2 tsp gr cumin seed
1 tsp gr coriander seed
1/2 tsp paprika
1 3/4 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked chickpeas
4 Tbsp wheat flour or sorghum flour (or other gluten free flour)
1 tsp soy sauce OR Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 - 2 Tbsp tahini (To learn how to make your own tahini, click here)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium
Saute veggies 5 minutes
Add cumin, coriander, paprika and garlic powder. Stir for 1 minute.
Reserve 1/2 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup chickpeas
Add the veggies & spice, the rest of the quinoa & chickpeas, and the flour to a food processor and pulse until combined. Process just until the mixture clumps together. Don't overmix.
In a separate bowl, mash the remaining quinoa and chickpeas together
Add the contents of the food processor, along with tahini, soy sauce, salt & pepper as needed
If the mixture is too dry to form patties, add a bit of water or bean cooking liquid, or more tahini
If you have time, chill the mixture for an hour or so before forming into patties
Divide burger mix into 8 equal portions and form into 3 inch patties
Fry in a little oil on medium heat, 5 - 10 minutes each side, until browned and firm
To freeze uncooked, place the patties between sheets of wax paper on a baking sheet and freeze. Wrap individually, and store in a freezer bag or plastic container. Bake or fry as needed - they don't need to thaw first

Chickpea Burgers

2012-06-12T18:00:00.002-04:00

I'm back! And I'm back with a few really awesome recipes to share with all of you :D

Pardon me for my long departure, school (among other things) have been consuming my existence -_-

During my first week of summer school I spend most my time in the kitchen preparing large batches of vegan burgers to freeze. Which was a very wise idea, since I haven't cooked much over the last four weeks :0. I soaked about 2 cups of dry chickpeas overnight. After I cooked them, I had 6 cups of chickpeas. I used them to make these burgers, falafels, and Quinoa patties. When using dry chickpeas, add salt to the water when soaking, drain and then add salt again when you cook them. The salt helps to keep the outer later of the peas from peeling.

This chickpea burger is a recipe I got from my all-time favorite vegan blogger, Angela Liddon. I made a few adjustments since I didn't have all of the ingredients. To see the official recipe and Angela's blog, click here.

Ingredients:

1.5 c cooked chickpeas

1/2 c oats

10 baby carrots or 2 carrots

1 tbsp coconut oil

1.5 tsp Curry

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp Tumeric (I didn't have any, so I added more curry and 1 tbsp of Tahini)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4tsp black pepper

1 tsp Parsley flakes

3 tbsp sunflower seeds

1/4 c pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Directions:

1) Mix all the ingredients in a food processor until it looks nice and smooth.

2) Form about 1/2c of the mix into a patty and cook right away, or save in the fridge/freezer.

3) Lightly fry in coconut oil until brown on both sides or bake at 375F for about 30 minutes.

I made two batches...don't they look beautiful?! :D

Vegan Lasagna

2012-04-23T18:03:00.001-04:00

Cheese-less Lasagna may not sound the most appealing, but when done right it is soooooo delicious. Not to mention, it's much healthier. This recipe is tasteful and high in nutrients and protein, and low in fat and bad cholesterol. I just did a mild adaptation to the original recipe. Here is the link to the original.

This recipe is easy to make :) I just LOVE it!!

Lasagna Recipe

Tomato sauce [Prego is my fav, a little more than one jar should do]
Spinach [about 4 handfuls] Cut into small pieces.
Lasagna noodles, 9 should do. [I used whole wheat noodles and you can't tell the difference]
Rosemary
Oregano
Tofu Ricotta mix [drain tofu, press btw two plates to drain exces water. Then crumble tofu in a bowl and mix in the other ingredient]

1 lb firm or extra firm tofu
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp garlic powder
4 ounce mushrooms [cut into small pieces]
1/2 tsp basil

Vegan Cashew cheese sauce [Mix all ingredients in a high power blender. I grind my cashews first and then mix in all other ingredients with the blender blade.] My personal blender has a grinder attachment.

1c water
1c raw cashews
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
sprinkle garlic powder
2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

Cook noodles according to the directions
After you have done the ricotta and cashew cheese, preheat oven to 375F
Pour a light layer of tomato sauce in the pan
Sprinkle rosemary and oregano over the sauce
Put one layer of noodles. Repeat step 3-4
Spread out 1/2 of the ricotta mix, half of the spinach and then 1/3 of the cashew cheese.
Repeat steps 5-6.
Put the last layer of lasagna noodles. Spread out tomato sauce, and then the remainder of the cashew cheese.
Cook covered to 90 minutes......well that's what the original recipe calls for. I only cook it for 30-45 minutes :D

Salad :D

2012-04-23T17:19:00.000-04:00

I saw this in a magazine a while back (it was seventeen or something like that). They had an article about eating vegan...it's actually quite popular among the rich and famous ;)

Salad isn't all vegans/vegetarians eat, but it is a vital part of any healthy diet. I just wanted to share with ya'll that your salads don't have to be boring :D

Salads are so versatile, you could use just about anything :)

I'll just share what I used for this one.

Toppings:

Pecans

Sesame seeds

Ground Flax seeds

Nutritional yeast

Hemp seeds

Other Ingredients:

Spinach

Tomato

Carrots

Avocado

Strawberries

Cucumber

Dressing:

(I mix all ingredients in a small container, and keep it handle when I need it)

Water

Olive oil or grapeseed

liquid aminos

parsley

oregano

black pepper

ginger

basil

TVP Meatballs

2012-04-22T23:27:00.003-04:00

Who doesn't like a good ole meatball sandwich or in spaghetti's?!?!
The vegan/vegeterian options sold at stores are outrageously expensive! :o
You can make your own at home for a fraction of the price :D :) :]

I've already shared the simple lentil meatballs, which is hearty and nutritious. But they are a bit dry and don't have the texture of real meatballs. These are chewy and sooo good :)

Ingredients:
1 cup TVP [Textured Vegetable Protein] Very inexpensive from the bulk section at your local health food store.
1 cup boiling water
1 small onion
2 tbsp grapeseed oil, or canola
3 garlic gloves
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cilantro
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1 tbsp Tamari sauce (or any soy sauce alternative)
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 c whole wheat flour

Directions
1) After you boil the water, remove from the heat and add the TVP. Allow it to rehydrate for a few minutes. If you have any "better than bouillon" you can add a little bit for added flavor.

2) While the TVP rehydrates, mix all other ingredients in a food processor. Then add the TVP and blend well.

3) Preheat oven to 350 F

4) Form meatballs into the size of ping pongs. If you make them smaller, cook for less time.
Place in a lightly oiled pan and bake for about 15 minutes. I was able to fit all of them in my handy dandy toaster oven :)

Popcorn

2012-04-22T22:58:00.000-04:00

Everyone that know me well, knows how much I love popcorn!!! :)
BUT I also don't like using the microwave :0 Not only does it kill many nutrients in the food, the radiation emitted can't be good for us. In either case, I'd rather be save than sorry :D So, I make my popcorn in a pot.

What you'll need:
popcorn kernels (I buy organic ones from the bulk section)
oil
garlic powder
salt

How to:
1) Put the pot on a medium flame.
2) Lightly oil the pot, and place enough kernels to cover the bottom of the pot.

3) Remove from the flame once they stop popping.
4) Place in a bowl and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.

Baked Vegan Falafel

2012-04-22T22:20:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things are falafels :) Falafel wraps and pitas were my meal of choice when I went to UCF. They were the only healthy vegan option on campus, plus they are so delicious! :)
The only downside is that they are fried, and eating them out can be costly. I played around with a few recipes and found one that works.

Making them at home is really cheap and easy :) and they freeze well! I normally make two batches and keep them handy in the freezer.

Ingredients
*3/4 c dry beans OR a can of chick peas
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
4-5 gloves of garlic
1 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tbsp dry parsley OR 1/2 c loosely packed fresh parsley
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes OR 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup onion
1tsp baking powder

*dry beans have more nutrients and they also cost less.

Directions

1) Skip this step if you are using canned chickpeas. Soak the chickpeas overnight in water with a little bit of salt. Then drain the water and cook in water with salt until slightly tender, but not cooked all the way.

2) MIx all ingredients in a food processor until well blended.

3) Preheat oven to 375 F.

4) Lightly oil a baking pan with coconut oil or your preferred baking oil.

5) Form small into small pans and flatten out a little bit with a spatula after you have placed them on the pan.

6) Bake for 15 minutes on each side.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy :) Tastes best when served with hummus.

Vegan Cheesecake :)

2012-03-06T12:35:00.001-05:00

One of the things I miss most from the good ole days was cheesecake. I used to make this AMAZING cheesecake topped with caramel...yum!!!!! BUT totally not healthy :(

I recently found a Vegan (and raw) cheesecake recipe. It's a hit with everyone that's had it :)

These are pictures one of my friends send me. I believe the second pie has a key lime topping. Thanks for the pics S :D

Just a view tips before you begin :)

When I first starting gathering the ingredients I was like "This is mad pricey!!!" but then I remembered how expensive making regular cheesecake was. At least this one is hardy and delicious!
With 1.5 of the recipe my friend and I were able to make two cheesecakes in pie pans.
Use Extra Virgin Coconut oil if possible. This is the most expensive ingredient, but I use it for just about everything. Great for baking, frying and so much more.

These are the two types of coconut oil I have. The smaller one is 16 fl oz. (~$7) but it isn't virgin.
The bigger one is 54 fl oz ($25 at Wards) but is the best kind you can get. [You'll have enough to make bizillion cheesecakes with this one)

The other ingredient you should shop wisely for are Dates. Beware: The ones at Wards and Earth Origins are super expensive!! You might be able to find a small container of dates at Publix for $2.50. I found some at a great price at the Indian Bazaar store on 34th. The big container I got was $7, I've already used 2 cups of dates and it still looks full :) They also had a smaller container for less. NOTE: If you buy dry dates, make sure to soak them for 1 hr before you use them. Also, if they are unpitted, make sure to remove the pits before you try processing them.

I have only found Macadamian nuts at the bulk section in Ward's supermarket. Some Walmarts also carry them in the baking section. The best economically friendly option is to make the crust from a combo of Macadamian nuts and Walnuts.

Finally!! What you've been anxiously waiting for :D Click here for the recipe.

Enjoy and let me know how it turns out! :D

Couscous Salad

2012-03-05T13:09:00.000-05:00

We recently had an event at school and the Couscous salad was all the rave!!!
I'm sure you will love it too :) I buy my couscous from the bulk section at either Ward's or Earth Origins.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked couscous
1 cup water
6 green onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) pre-cooked or canned (optional
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
dash pepper to taste

You can play around with the recipe by adding other nutritious ingredients like broccoli, baby corn, etc.

1) Bring one cup of water to a boil. Then remove from the heat, pour in couscous, cover with a lid and let sit for 5 minutes.

2) Mix oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander and salt in a small bowl.

3) Mix remanding ingredients in a large bowl, then add the dressing from step #2. :)

4) Enjoy!!! :)

Picture coming soon!

Vegan Enchiladas and Avocado sauce

2012-03-05T12:28:00.001-05:00

Tijuana Flats got nothing on these enchiladas...and let me tell you, I LOVE Tijuana Flats' chimichangas.

These are super DELICIOUS!!!!!!!! I made them with my friend and we followed the recipe exactly!!! (Well...we added some mushrooms a had in the fridge, lol)

I got the recipe from ohsheglows.com.

For the recipe click here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't forget to make the Avocado sauce.....it was to DIE for!!!! well not really, but it was sooooooo good! It goes great with these enchiladas. It's with the link above and there are some amazing pictures.

Just in case I have attached the recipe :) Enjoy!

Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce

Yield: ~1.25-1.5 cups

Ingredients:

1 & 1/4 cup avocado flesh
2 tbsp water, or more as needed to thin out
2-3 tbsp lime juice, to taste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 cup packed fresh cilantro
1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp ground cumin
Black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process the avocado flesh and water until creamy. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Use immediately for best results.

How could this be???

2012-02-24T00:44:00.000-05:00

I wanted to apologize for my lack of posts so far, but school has been overly consuming my time the last few weeks...plus I haven't been feeling well :(

But FEAR NOT! I am feeling super duper and have plenty of time to spare to dedicate to my faithful followers :D .....BUT...there is always a but!..I will be out of town this weekend. I promise to post many many many many nice and tasty recipes next week!!! :)

On another note, I'm fasting from t.v. or better yet, entertainment that is...well, basically empty of any beneficial info, especially anything that would distract me from God. I've been watching and listening to sermons and Documentaries :) I just saw a documentary that left me with my mouth open........all I could think was "How could this be?????"

Check it out (It's super informative)

Click here to view it.

Vegan Tortillas

2012-02-20T11:37:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't like some delicious tortillas to make a wrap or eat with some delicious falafels.

I decided to make some whole wheat tortillas....but I made them quite thick and they ended up more like Pita/Naan bread..it was DELICIOUS :)

I used this recipe, but used Whole Wheat Pastry Flour.

Mix 4 cups of flour with 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3 tablespoons any oil of your choice, and 1 cup of luke-warm water. It will be quite crumbly. Add extra water (less than half a cup) until the dough becomes a non sticky uniform mass.

Let the dough sit for 20 minutes for the gluten strands to form so the dough becomes more stretchy.

Take golf ball size clumps, flour them, and roll them out with a rolling pin to form tortillas.

I rolled them out over some sprinkled cornmeal and fried without oil.

You can use these tortillas as is, stuff them, and bake them. Alternatively you can fry them with no oil and use them to make tacos, wraps or whatever suits your fancy.

Yield: 8 tortillas
Variations: You can use whole wheat or white wheat for this recipe. You can also use half whole wheat, half corn meal.

Enjoy!

And then I ate with some homemade falafels and tahini sauce :)

Tahini Paste

2012-02-20T11:14:00.001-05:00

Tahini paste is a base for hummus, salad dressing and other great Mediterranean dishes.
You could buy tahini paste from the supermarker...but it is very pricey.

Making tahini at home is super simply and you can buy sesame seeds in bulk from your local health food store or Publix.

I used 2.5 cups of sesame seeds and toasted them in my handy dandy toaster oven.
Then blended with 3/4 C olive oil.

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Lay out seeds on a sheet and place in the oven.
3) Toast for 10 minutes, moving the seeds around every 3 minutes.

This is what the seeds looked like after toasting.

4) Place seeds with 3/4 cups oil in a blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth.

I used the small bowl from my Ninja Prep system I got at Walmart for $35 :)

5) Store in the refrigerator in a air tight container.

I recycled an old jar. I used some of the tahini paste to make a sauce, so this is only part of what I made.

What i do before a big test :0

2012-02-15T18:31:00.006-05:00

So tomorrow morning I have my first musculoskeletal exam.

What I should be doing: studying!
What I actually did after class? Cook delicious goodies from scratch :-)

I like to think of cooking as my art, and it does helps relieve stress and pressure. Yesterday I baked brownies from scratch before studying for the lab exam I had this morning. I like to think it helped...even though I was up until the wee hours of the night! :0

Today's cooking venture includes homemade whole wheat tortillas, homemade falafels, and homemade tahini sauce!

Stay toned..I will post recipes for all of these once I'm done with this exam :) oh, and I'm making vegan enchiladas tomorrow with my friend...can't wait :-)

Know I must rush to church and then to the library for a studying marathon :) I will be reciting muscle actions in my sleep tonight! How Humerus! :)

Vegan friendly pancakes

2012-02-13T13:29:00.001-05:00

Who doesn't like pancakes?! I know I LOVE some nice warm pancakes.

I don't have a set recipe but suggestions for making healthier pancakes.

Replace eggs with:
1 banana= 1 egg OR
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp warm water = 1 egg

Use olive oil and almond milk.
I like to buy whole wheat pancake mix from the bulk section and store in a airtight glass container.

I like to add blueberries and sliced banana to the pancakes after I pour the mixture in the pan.

Cook using coconut oil or vegan butter.

Top with strawberries or agave necter instead of syrup.

My Fav Ranch Dressing

2012-02-12T16:41:00.001-05:00

Hey ya'll, I hope you have been enjoying my posts thus far ;D

I had a request for my vegan ranch dressing. I can't find the original recipe, and lately I just throw all the ingredients without measuring and go.

So...I searched the net for one that fits the description. I'll update the recipe once I get a chance to do it myself :)

Here is the link.

Lentil Meatballs

2012-02-12T13:46:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from vegweb.com. The original recipe came out really dry, so I adjusted some things.
It's a great side for pasta, or for subs :)

Vegan or vegetarian meatballs are suppper expensive. You could make this for a very cheap price :)

Ingredients:
2 c uncooked lentils
1 c oats
1 c cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste
1 large white onion
6-8 garlic gloves
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions.
1) Cook lentils according to directions. Puree in a food processor.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3) Grind and puree onion, garlic and oats in a food processor.
4) Mix all ingredients in a bowl and form into balls.
5) Oil baking pan or cookie sheet. Place meatballs on the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown.

The recipe states this makes 12 meatballs, but I made half a batch and it made over 16 meatballs.

Picture coming soon :)

Vegan "Mac and Cheese"

2012-02-12T13:33:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things to make is Mac and Cheese, it's so delicious and nutritious! :)

It is simple to make and everyone will enjoy it.

It takes me about 15 minutes to prep :)

Disclaimer: This isn't my original recipe, I got it off the internet but I can't find the link.

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounce) uncooked elbow macaroni

1 TBSP vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup cashews (I buy them from Ward's for about $9/lb, so 1 cup could come out to $3..about the same as a bag of cheese..so if you think about it, it isn't expensive ;) )

1/3 c lemon juice (I personally use less, or 1 lime)

1.3 cups water

salt to taste

1/3 cup canola oil (I use grapeseed oil)

1/2 red bell pepper (we will roast it)* (you could also use canned roasted red pepper)

3 TBSP nutritional yeast

1 tsp garlic powder (or a couple garlic cloves)**

1 tsp onion powder (or use one small onion)**

*Red bell peppers are expensive, I normally buy them at Ward's or the spanish supermarkets back home (there are less than $1 at these places)

**Using fresh garlic and onion tastes so much better! :)

Check the "Ingredients" tab for more info. on other ingredients and where to buy them :D

Directions:

1) Turn your toaster oven to broil on 400 degrees F. Place red bell pepper in oven and roast until the skin turns black. Then, take out and wrap in foil for a few minutes. Then peel the skin off.

while the pepper roasts cont. to the other steps

2) Cook pasta according to the box instructions.

3) Chop up medium onion, and saute with the vegetable oil.

4) In the blender mix cashews, lemon juice, water and salt. Once this has mixed well blend in oil, roasted red pepper, nutritionl yeast, garlic powder (or fresh garlic) and onion powder (or fresh onion). Blend until smooth.

5) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

6) In a baking pan mix cooked pasta, cheese sauce and sauted onion. The mixture will be wateryish, don't worry, it will dry up in the oven.

7) Bake for 45 minutes. (I bake it for less, because I just can't wait to eat it). Let cool and enjoy :)

Holocaust in America?

2012-02-12T12:32:00.000-05:00

A friend of my mine recently showed me this video. It is really powerful, and it is amazing to see the concept of this video from a different perspective than many americans have.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

2012-02-03T02:52:00.003-05:00

Some may fear the process of making bread, but it's pretty easy and a great upper body workout ;) (when kneading and cutting the bread)
This is my favorite sandwich bread recipe. I only made a small adjustment to the original recipe.
100% whole wheat bread can come out vveeeerrryyy dense, the first batches of bread I ever made would break when I tried bending them. Not with my recipe! :) The only solution to this problem is to add vital wheat gluten, which helps to increase the gluten content, which makes the bread nice and soft. As you can see from the picture, this bread is soft and doesn't break when it folds over.

Another problem some novice bread makers might have is that their bread never rises. I remember the first bread I ever tried making ended up like a brick, it was more of a weapon than another else. The reason this happens is because yeast cannot be mixed with water over 115 degrees, or it will die :/
The yeast is what makes the bread rise, and if it's dead..then you won't have an edible product. I bought a food thermometer from Publix for $3, but after some experience I don't even use it anymore.

Well, enough chit chat...let's get started :)

Ingredients:
4 cups warm water (no higher than 115 degrees)
2 tsp active dry yeast
8.5 cups whole wheat flour (I think that's about 1/2 bag of flour)
1/4 vital wheat gluten
1 tbsp sweetener (agave nectar, honey, etc)
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup grapeseed or olive oil

Directions:

1) Mix water at 115 degrees with the yeast and sweetener and make sure it bubbles. This will take a minute or so. (If it doesn't bubble, then the yeast is no good or the water is too hot) We also do not put the salt and oil in at this time as they will inhibit yeast growth.

The yeast/water mixture should look something like this.

2)Stir in 5 cups of flour until there are no lumps. Let stand (covered in a warm place, I like to put it in a oven [that is off]) for 30 minutes or until double in size.

You will need a big bowl. I bought this 8 qt stainless steel bowl from Ross for $10. Walmart has a similar bowl for a few dollars more.

3)Stir in the salt and oil, and vital wheat gluten and gradually add another 3 cups of flour. When the dough develops into a stiff ball, we are ready to knead.

Turn out the dough onto a floured counter top and begin kneading. For a great video on how to knead, click here.

You will use about another half cup of flour to finish the kneading. The flour will be added very slowly. When the dough no longer sticks to the counter after a few kneads, you are finished. This will take between 10 and 20 minutes. Patience with your dough is important. Overkneading and tearing the dough will cause it not to rise well. This process develops that gas holding property of the bread even further.

My dough after I was done kneading.

4) Oil the mixing bowl, put the dough in, oil the top and cover.

Before I put to rise.

5) Put on to rise for 45-60 minutes or double in size.

After 45 minutes rising

6)After the dough has doubled in size, you will punch it down to degas it.

Lightly oil your bread pans.

Cut the dough into two pieces. You can weigh for more uniform loaves.

Form loaves by making a ball, pulling the sides into an oblong shape and then pinch the seams along the bottom and sides.

Place in the pans, lightly oil the tops and set aside to rise for 30-40 minutes or double in size.

I did a sloppy job :O

After it rose for 30 minutes.

7) Do not let rise for too long as that may cause the bread to fall or the top crust to separate.

8) Preheat oven to 350F. In a small pot heat up some water with honey, and after it starts to boil, lightly brush over the bread. Then sprinkle some sesame seeds over the top.

9) Bake for 45 minutes. When the bread is finished baking, take out of the oven, let cool for 5-15 minutes and remove from the pan. Place on a cooling rack or the top of the pan. Your bread will keep for several days at room temperature, a week to 10 days in the fridge or a couple months in the freezer. I normally bake two loaves, cut them up into slices after they cool down and then store 1.5 loaves in the freezer and the rest in the fridge. Since these breads are free of preservations and all that not-so-good stuff, I prefer to keep them where they won't get bad fast.

Each bread pan was about $4. I prefer the metal pans, as the bread slides out easier.

I got some bread bags from Dollar Tree

I bought a bread knife from Dollar Tree and it works perfectly.

How to "Not be like a ring in a pigs snout"! :o

2012-02-01T23:31:00.005-05:00

My favorite book in the Bible is the book of Proverbs. Not only does it provide wise advice, but I find Solomon to be a very funny man. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 11:22, and I hope you enjoy this bible study I did with my small group on campus :)

What does Proverbs 11:22 tell us about the importance of discretion in a woman’s character? Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. (Proverbs 11:22)

First of all, we must note that a gold ring is a precious and expensive piece of jewelry. Second, to put it on a dirty and impure animal like a pig is just...weeelll...insanity. I've read this verse several times, but I always overlooked what the verse really meant by the word "discretion". I always thought it just meant to be a loose woman (or man) in all respects.

So I decided to look up the original text in Hebrew, in search of the literal meaning. Only to find that there wasn't any other relevant meaning to the word in it's original text.

That's when I resorted to the handy dandy www.dictionary.com to find out more. This is what I found, discretion and prudence are practically interchangeable. I also found out....that I can sometimes be like that ring in the dirty snout of a smelly pig! yikes!

Discretion:

noun

1.the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment; freedom of judgment or choice: It is entirelywithin my discretion whether I will go or stay.

2.the quality of being discreet, especially with reference toone's own actions or speech; prudence or decorum:

Prudence:

noun

1.the quality or fact of being prudent.

2.caution with regard to practical matters; discretion.

3.regard for one's own interests.

4.provident care in the management of resources; economy;frugality.

I continued to search the WORD with the help of google :) to find out what it really means to a prudent or discrete woman [you know, so I won't be like a gold ring in a pig's snout ;) ]

There are 5 things that we must do to not be ^

1) A prudent woman is wise!

Intimately connected with wisdom.

Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

Proverbs 13:16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

Proverbs 14:18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

2. Seeks wisdom from God.

Proverbs 2:6:7 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Understand the ways of God.

Hosea 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

3. Prudent woman is humble!

Not ostentatious of knowledge.

Proverbs 12:23 A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

Philippians 2:3-11

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ...

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

James 4:6 ESV ]

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Avoids trouble and evil, knows when to be silent.
(This is something I know I need to work on)

Proverbs 22:3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Suppress angry feelings
Proverbs 12:16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Keep silence in the evil time.
Amos 5:13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

5. Accept correction

Proverbs 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

Proverbs 9:7 “ He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,

And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.

8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;

Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

10 “ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The Amazing Super Duper Veggie Burger

2012-02-01T17:36:00.002-05:00

The most delicious burger you will ever have :)

Are you tired of these expensive patties? Want to avoid those horrible preservatives and mysterious ingredients? For the price of one box you could make 15 at home :)

For the original recipe click here.

Ingredients: This recipe makes about 15 patties.

1/2 large onion, diced
4 large garlic clove, minced
Flax eggs: 2.5 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl
1 cup oats, processed into flour* (other flours might work)
1.5 cups bread crumbs (I processed 3 pieces of bread until fine crumb)
2 carrots (about a cup of grated carrot)
1.5-2 cups cooked black beans, I soak about 3/4 cup dry beans overnight and put to cook before I start mixing all the other ingredients.
Heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (or fresh herb of choice) or 1/8 cup of dry parsley flakes
1/3 cup almonds, chopped (toasted if preferred)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, (toasted if preferred)
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)
1.5 tsp chili powder
1.5 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1) Cook beans.

2) Mix water and ground flax. I mix the water with the flax in a small pot and heat up on a low setting, until it becomes a gooey mixture.

3) Toast bread and peel carrots.

4) Process onion, garlic, oatmeal, carrots, bread crumbs, almonds and parsley in a food processor (if you have one). If not, then chop, mince or grate the ingredients.

This is the food processor I have, I got it at Walmart for $40, but they have smaller ones. ^^^

5) Mix in a bowl with all the other ingredients.

6) Once the beans are cooked, process them as well and add to the rest of the mixture.

7) Form into patties.

8) I make a big bunch and keep them in the freezer. I like to use wax or parchment paper to divide the patties, and store in a freezer safe container or bag.

9) Lightly fry for 5 minutes on each side, using a small amount of coconut oil. Or bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with whatever topping you like.

I like mine with hummus, spinach, tomato, nutritional yeast, avocado, onion, and sprinkle salt, olive oil and oregano.

Don't forget a delicious side. I love baked sweet potato fries. :)

ENJOY! :)

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2012-02-01T00:46:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't like fries?
I know I do!!! It's so hard to pass by chick-fil-a during lunch and not be tempted by the smell of fries.
But let's face the facts, fried food is no bueno! Not only for your health, but oil can splatter in the kitchen and give the whole house a not so awesome smell.

So here is a great fried fries alternative. I got the recipe from the Oh She Glows website.

1 yam/sweet potato
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tbsp oil (olive or grape seed)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350. I use my handy dandy toaster oven, which will accommodate for 2 sweet potatoes.
2) Peel yams and cut into wedges.
3) Mix cinnamon, cumin and oil. Brush on yam pieces.

4) Bake 30-40 minutes or until tender, turning halfway.