theglobalvegan

Walnut Date Muffins

2012-01-30T10:05:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 cup white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup flaxseeds

3/4 cup oats

2 t baking soda

1/2 t sea salt

2 t cinnamon

1 cup dates, chopped

1 cup walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup almond milk

2 T flaxseed eggs (2 T flax mixed with 6 T water)

1/2 cup agave nectar

1/4-1/2 cup water

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine almond milk, flax eggs, agave nectar and water.

In a larger bowl combine remaining ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well, adding more water if need be.

Add batter to a lined or oiled muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.

Yields: Approx. 16 muffins Enjoy!

African Sweet Potato Soup

2012-01-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

5 T extra-virgin organic coconut oil

3 cups yellow onion, chopped

1 t cinnamon

1 t turmeric

1 t coriander

1 t cumin

1 t curry powder

6 cups sweet potatoes, chopped

1 can black beans

5 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup peanut butter, melted in 1/2 cup boiling water

1 T lime juice

1 T sugar

sea salt and pepper, to taste

cayenne pepper, to taste

cilantro, to garnish

What to do:

In a large stockpot, heat coconut oil over medium heat.

Stir spices into oil.

Add onions and let cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring to absorb spices.

Add sweet potatoes and cook another 3-5 minutes.

Stir in black beans, vegetable broth and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne.

Serve hot with sprigs of cilantro.

Serves: 4

Kale and Romaine Chopped Salad

2012-01-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

4 cups raw kale leaves, chopped

3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

juice of 1 orange

1 t + 1 T olive oil

1 apple, chopped

3/4 cup red onion, chopped

black pepper, to taste

1 T white balsamic vinegar

1/4 t Herbamare seasoning

handful of mixed nuts (optional)

handful dried cranberries (optional)

What to do:

Place kale in a large bowl and mix with 2 t of the orange juice and 1 t of olive oil. Massage kale and let sit until it wilts.

Add lettuce, apple and onion. Add the T of olive oil, remaining orange juice, pepper and Herbamare.

Combine thoroughly and serve immediately.

Serves: 2 as a main dish. Enjoy!

Super Green Smoothie

2012-01-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

2 cups kale leaves

2 bananas

2 oranges

1 T flaxseeds

2 T oats

1 t vanilla extract

1 t stevia powder

pinch cinnamon

What to do:

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend away!

Serves: 2

Avocado Nori Salad

2012-01-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 ripe avocado, cut bite-sized pieces

2-3 sheets nori, torn into pieces

juice of 1 lime

sea salt, to taste

What to do:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Enjoy with a warm cup of sake :)

Serves: 1

Rice and Greens Salad

2012-01-05T20:54:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

3 cups water

1 cup brown basmati rice

1 apple, chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

5-6 cups salad greens

juice of 1 lemon

1/8 cup olive oil

1 1/2 t dried thyme

sea salt, pepper, to taste

What to do:

Cook rice as you normally would.

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper to create the dressing.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large serving dish.

Toss with dressing and enjoy!

Serves: 2 as a main dish

Roasted Cauliflower Spread

2012-01-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 head cauliflower, chopped

2 T coconut oil

2 t cumin

2 t coriander

pinch cinnamon

pinch cayenne

sea salt, to taste

1 T tahini

juice of 1 lemon

2 t ginger root, chopped

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss cauliflower in coconut oil and spices.

Roast for about 30 min.

In a food processor, combine roasted cauliflower with remaining ingredients.

Serve on leaves of romaine lettuce or whatever else you fancy!

Serves: 4

Vanilla Spirulina Drink

2012-01-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 T spirulina powder

1 whole vanilla bean, chopped

1 -2 t stevia powder

5 cups water

What to do:

Blend away!

Serves: 4

Blueberry Green Smoothie

2011-12-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

A cleanse is officially in order!

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 T flaxseeds

1/2 banana

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup leafy greens

a few walnuts

1 cup water

stevia, to taste

What to do:

Blend, blend, blend!

Serves: 1

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

2011-12-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 t baking soda

2 T flaxseed

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t turmeric

1/4 t nutmeg

1/4 t ginger

1/4 t sea salt

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 t vanilla

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

cinnamon sugar, for dusting

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Oil a large baking sheet.

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Mix wet ingredients in another.

Combine both and fold in walnuts.

Scoop tablespoon sized cookie dough on to baking sheet and dust with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Coconut Cauliflower Swiss Chard Quinoa

2011-12-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

2 cups chopped cauliflower

7-10 chard leaves, chopped

1/3 cup quinoa

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup yellow onions, chopped

2 T extra-virgin coconut oil

1 t turmeric

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t coriander

1 t cumin

chili powder, to taste

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

2 T maple syrup

2/3 cup coconut milk

What to do:

Cook quinoa as you normally would.

Steam cauliflower and swiss chard.

In a large saute pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat and cook onions and garlic for five minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, including the quinoa, cauliflower and swiss chard. Combine well.

Let simmer for 10 minutes.

This particular recipe serves 2 as a main dish Enjoy!

Spinach Black Bean Salad

2011-12-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 can black beans

1 can corn

2 cups tightly packed fresh spinach

1 T lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup salsa

1 t cumin

1/2 t turmeric

chili powder, to taste

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

What to do:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve with tortilla chips.

Serves: 2-4

Grapefruit Coconut Salad

2011-12-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

Vitamin C is essential this time of year! Be sure to eat your citrus fruits :-)

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

2 grapefruits, peeled and sectioned

1/4 cup dried coconut

2 T fresh cilantro, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/8 cup roasted peanuts

What to do:

Toss all ingredients together in a serving bowl.

This recipe serves 2. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins with Cashew Streusel Topping

2011-12-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

For the muffins:

1 1/4 cup organic flour of your choice

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

2 t cinnamon

1 t nutmeg

1/2 t dried ginger

1 t apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup almond milk

1 cup oats

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

2 T extra-virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1/3 cup raw sugar

For the streusel topping:

1/4 cup flour

2 T raw sugar

3/4 cup raw cashews, chopped

1 T coconut oil

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

What to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and oil muffin pans.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In another bowl, add vinegar to almond milk. Let curl and add oats and pumpkin. Add in the coconut oil, applesauce and sugar. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones and divide batter evenly among each muffin tin.

Mix all streusel ingredients together and top each muffin evenly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

This recipe makes 12 muffins.

Arugula Quinoa Salad

2011-12-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, quinoa is one of those amazing super grains that should be enjoyed often.

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1/2 cup quinoa

4 cups arugula

1 avocado, seeded and cut into chunks

1 medium tomato, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T lemon juice

sea salt and pepper, to taste

What to do:

Cook quinoa as you normally would. ( I usually use a little more than twice as much water than quinoa and cook for 10-15 minutes.)

Place arugula, avocado, tomato, garlic and 1 T of the lemon juice in a large bowl. Add in the cooked quinoa and remaining lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and basil. Toss to combine.

This recipe serves 2 as a light lunch or dinner.

Easy Chickpea Curry

2011-12-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

1 yellow onion, quartered

2-3 cloves garlic

1 large tomato, halved

1 1-inch piece ginger root

1/3 cup raw cashews

1 1/2 t ground coriander

1 t ground cumin

1/2 t turmeric

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1 T coconut oil

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 T raw sugar

sea salt and pepper, to taste

fresh cilantro or other herbs to garnish

What to do:

Cook chickpeas for 30-40 minutes.

In a food processor, combine first set of ingredients into a paste.

In a large saute pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat.

Add cooked chickpeas, nutritional yeast and curry paste.

Combine thoroughly and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish.

Enjoy.

This particular recipe serves 4.

Applying for a Yoga Teacher Training Scholarship

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Everyone!

Today's post is me asking a favor from you all. I'm applying for a scholarship to attend a 200 hour yoga teacher training in Cost Rica this Spring. The person who receives the most comments on their essay, the most Facebook shares of their essay and the most Twitter shares of their essay wins the prize. Each action counts as one vote, so you if you have the capability, you can do all three! If any of my fellow bloggers would like to post this on their blog, that would be extra extra great! I just need to get the word out to as many people as possible. Here is the link to the essay.
Thanks again and Namaste :)

-Aimee

http://yogatrainingguide.com/yoga-teacher-training/discovering-yoga

Korean Zucchini Namul in the Raw

2011-11-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

Namul is a general term in Korea for a seasoned veggie dish. Any type of vegetable, herb or green can be used.

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

5 cups zucchini, washed well and sliced thin

1 T sesame oil

2 t soy sauce

1 T sesame seeds

2 T yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

pinch red chili flakes

pinch sea salt

What to do:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Let veggies marinade for 20-30 minutes if you wish.

Serves: 4-6

Vichyssoise

2011-11-25T07:09:00.000-08:00

Vichyssoise is traditionally served cold, however I will be serving mine hot (also accepted) as I gaze at the blanket of grey outside the kitchen window :- )

Difficulty Level: Facile

What you need:

2 cups leeks, trimmed and sliced
1 onion, chopped fine
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup rice milk
2 tbsp. vegan margarine
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
sea salt, pepper, to taste

What to do:

Heat margarine in large stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks and onions and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Add potatoes, herbs, salt, pepper and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
Transfer soup to a blender, add rice milk and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with warm crusty French bread.

Serves: 4-6 Bon Appetit!

Melange de Noix Epices (Spiced Nut Mix)

2011-11-22T07:03:00.000-08:00

This fun little melange de noix comes from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz. I omitted the pretzels that he calls for and the end product was, well...vraiement magnifique!

Difficulty Level: Facile

What you need:

1 cup raw nuts (I used a mix of almonds, walnuts, peanuts and brazil nuts)
2 tsp. vegan margarine
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 tsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

What to do:
Preheat oven to 350F and spread nuts on a baking sheet. Toast for 7-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the margarine, brown sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, maple syrup and cocoa.
Stir the warm nuts into the spice mixture. Coat completely and sprinkle with salt.
Place them back in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the nuts are glazed and brown.

Serve to friends this holiday season. Bon Appetit!

Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-11-21T08:26:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, I thought I'd post a suitable side to dish to bring to your Thanksgiving feast. Double the recipe if you're throwing or attending a large gathering!

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

5 large sweet potatoes or 7 small ones,

2 T organic virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup rice milk

1 t vanilla extract

2 T raw sugar

2 T pure maple syrup

pinch ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

pinch sea salt

1 cup raw cashews, chopped

1/4 cup organic virgin coconut oil

1/3 cup flour

2 T pure maple syrup

dash ground cinnamon

dash sea salt

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil sweet potatoes for about 30 minutes. Peel and place in a large bowl. Mash the potatoes and mix in the melted coconut oil, rice milk, vanilla, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Pour this mixture into a well-oiled casserole dish.

In another bowl mix together the second set of ingredients. Place this nut topping on top of sweet potatoes.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until edges are lightly brown.

This particular recipe serves 6-8.

Tropical Sweet Potato Morning

2011-11-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

Sweet potatoes are a really healthy way to start your day.

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 large sweet potato

4 Medjool dates, seeded and chopped

2 T pumpkin seeds, toasted

1/4 cup dried coconut flakes, toasted

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 T maple syrup

1/4 t ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cayenne

What to do:

Boil sweet potato for 30-45 minutes, until soft. Let cool a little and peel. Cut into chunks.

While the sweet potato is cooking, toast pumpkin seeds and coconut for a few minutes or until lightly browned.

In a bowl, whisk together coconut milk, maple syrup and spices.

Assemble in to bowls by pouring the coconut milk in first, then adding the sweet potatoes and topping with the dates, seeds and coconut. Dust with more cinnamon and serve warm.

This particular recipe serves two. Enjoy!

Bangkok Surprise Smoothie

2011-11-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

I call this the Bangkok surprise because I imagine it would be the perfect drink for a sultry Bangkok afternoon.

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded

1 large cucumber, peeled

2 frozen bananas

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks

1 T Thai basil leaves

1/2 t maca powder (optional)

1 t stevia powder

3 cups water

What to do:

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until creamy and refreshing!

This recipe serves 4.

Thai Eggplant Salad

2011-11-16T11:13:00.000-08:00

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need

For the eggplant:

2 T toasted sesame oil

1 eggplant, chopped into small pieces

pinch of red pepper flakes

sea salt, black pepper

Dressing ingredients:

1 t zest of lime

juice of 1 lime

1 T ginger, minced

2 T rice vinegar

1 T maple syrup

1 T soy sauce

3 T peanut butter

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup water

1 T fresh basil, minced

pinch crushed red pepper

sea salt, to taste

Salad fixings:

4-5 cups mixed salad greens

1/4 cup red onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

1 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces

What to do:

Heat sesame oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add eggplant and cook for 15 minutes or so.

Season with red pepper and sea salt.

While eggplant is cooking, make the salad dressing in a blender.

Place the salad makings in a large bowl and toss with as much dressing as you wish. You will have leftover dressing. Top with the cooked eggplant and eat with chopsticks!

This recipe serves 2 as a main dish

Forbidden Black Rice Porridge

2011-11-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

Forbidden black rice has long been a staple in Chinese medicine. It is traditional healing food, containing more vitamin B, niacin, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc than white rice. Its dark purple pigment comes from its anthocyanin content, a potent antioxidant also found in blueberries.

Difficulty Level: Easy

What you need:

1 cup forbidden black rice, soaked overnight

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup rice milk

1/2 cup coconut milk

pinch sea salt

1/2 cup dried coconut flakes, toasted

2-3 T maple syrup

1 t pure vanilla extract

1 t ground cinnamon

pinch ground cardamom

pinch ground cloves

What to do:

Upon rising in the morning, drain and rinse the rice thoroughly.

In a large stockpot, bring rice, water, rice milk, coconut milk and sea salt to a boil.

Let simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the coconut flakes over low heat for a few minutes. When the coconut is slightly brown, add it to the cooking rice porridge.

Turn off heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Enjoy steaming hot!

This recipe serves 4.