Vegan Wifestyle

Vegan Dinner: Easy Baked Potatoes

2013-05-07T22:45:00.001-05:00

Hello all! Sorry I've been MIA from the blog for a few days...but I was busy having a baby! Little Cameron is here and we couldn't be happier (complete post with photos coming soon). That baby lotion commercial is true..."Having a baby changes everything."

Slowly but surely I've been back in the kitchen making smoothies, salads and quick dishes. Today's lunch was 2 baked potatoes, corn on the cob and my popular Green Beans Almondine dish.

The potatoes take an hour but require very little work. All you need is:

-2 Organic Potatoes
-1 tbsp Tofutti Sour Cream
-1 tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Butter (Soy Free)
-1 tbsp Bac'Uns Vegetarian Bits
-Salt and Pepper as needs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Wrap potatoes in tin foil and poke holes with a fork

3. Place directly on rack and cook for an hour
4. Remove from oven and apply toppings

That's it! And while they're cooking you can make the corn and the Green Beans Almondine.

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Neda's Notions Photography

Vegan Dinner: Red Curry Tofu with Asparagus & Broccolini

2013-04-13T18:37:00.002-05:00

Happy Saturday! Now that I'm 9 months preggo (eek!), here's another quick and easy recipe for you. Time is not on my side these days because the baby's due date is quickly approaching. But I was able to manage making this in about 15 minutes thanks to blanching the asparagus and broccolini.

If you've never blanched your veggies before...here's some simple tips.
Clean and prepare your veggies:

Fill a pot of water and once it starts to boil, add veggies and cook for 2 minutes:

Remove veggies from heat, add to a strainer and rinse with cold water to prevent them from cooking any further:

See how much greener and brighter they look? Yummy!

Ok back to the recipe...

Ingredients:

-4 tbsp soy sauce
-2 tbsp red curry paste
-2 tbsp sesame oil
-1/2 pound asparagus
-1 pound broccolini
-1 tbsp coconut oil
-1 container organic extra firm tofu, thawed and drained
-sesame seeds (about 1 tbsp), fresh cilantro and Sriracha sauce for toppings

Directions:

1. Add soy sauce, curry paste and sesame oil to a large bowl, stir in tofu and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate

2. Blanch broccolini and asparagus (see directions above), and set aside

3. In a large skillet, heat sesame seeds over medium for a few minutes (about 3) and set aside

4. In the same skillet, add coconut oil and allow to heat up

5. Combine tofu, broccolini and asparagus to skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes over high heat (you may want to cook tofu by itself for a few minutes first then add veggies for just 1 or 2 minutes)

6. Top off with sesame seeds, fresh cilantro and sriracha sauce

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Oh and be sure to visit Neda's Notions Photography to vote for me in her latest contest (or save time by entering below)! Simply type my name as your favorite Mommy Rep (Joanna Nosewicz) and you also have a chance to win a $50 photo credit towards your own photo session with Neda herself.

Thank you so much and have a great Saturday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vegan and Pregnant: Week 33 + 8 month Maternity Pics

2013-03-28T21:48:00.000-05:00

So I'm laying in bed, my feet are swollen, propped up on pillows and I officially feel like a whale. Week 33 is here and happening...and I'm still hungry...all the time.

My doctor's appointment went great today. Blood pressure, weight gain and protein levels are all healthy (I've been doing my best to follow a healthy meal plan and have been Fixed on Fitness to stay in shape). Baby's heartbeat is again in the 150's and he's flipped around which means he's not breach! Just one more 2-week checkup and I'll be visiting every week. But holy moly, since our little "pineapple-sized" man flipped a few days ago my back has been aching and I'm in a lot more pain. If you've never been pregnant the closest comparison I can make is feeling really really full, times 20. But then you still want to eat like 10 more cookies.

What's really amazing is that his little arms are punching, his tiny feet are kicking, his body's squirming and he's moving around more than ever before. Such an incredible feeling it makes all the discomfort worth it.

Sunday was another great day at Neda's Notions to take more pictures in my 8th month. I had a chance to meet the other Mommy Reps for the first time. Such a great group to be a part of! We're all having boys too...what's in the water?

That's all for now...off to eat again!

-Joanna

(P.S. Shirt is from Motherhood and Necklace is from Stella & Dot)

Vegan Dinner: Avocado Spring Salad

2013-03-25T18:54:00.004-05:00

Spring is here! What better way to celebrate than with farm fresh produce. I made this salad about two weeks ago so I apologize I'm just posting now.

These last few weeks have been amazing and hectic all at the same time. Baby Cameron is about to enter this world and we couldn't be more excited! Be sure to check out my Vegan and Pregnant posts to find out more about my little babe.

Back to the salad...my favorite part is that the avocado, clementines and lemon juice provide enough "dressing" that nothing else needs to be added!

Ingredients:

-1 cup chopped carrots
-2 clementines, peeled
-1 avocado, chopped
-1/2 cup edamame
-1/2 cup raw almonds
-2 handfuls spinach/spring mix
-2 tbsp lemon juice (add more if desired)
-salt and pepper if desired

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl, top with lemon juice, toss and serve immediately

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan Baking: Egg Substitutes Simplified

2013-03-12T21:59:00.001-05:00

My biggest challenge while promoting a vegan diet has been baking. Cooking sweet treats without eggs was difficult at first but I've discovered some great substitutes that have worked.

Why don't I use eggs? Ok yes, eggs are only 70 calories and have 6g of protein per serving. If an egg was all protein that would be great, but it's not. It has protein and a lot of other stuff...one egg contains 213 mg of cholesterol...that's 70 percent of an average person's daily recommended value. Having 2 eggs folks? You probably are. That's too much cholesterol for the day. Don't get me wrong there's "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol, "healthy" fats and "unhealthy" fats. Welp...eggs contain some "good" cholesterol, but 1/3 of an egg is saturated and trans fat, which is "unhealthy" fat, resulting in "bad" cholesterol. Clogged arteries, high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease...still want that 6 egg omelet? Eek!

Ok back to the egg substitutes...yay for healthy hearts!

All items listed below equals the equivalent of 1 egg. Try them out!

- 1 tbsp flaxseed + 3 tbsp of water, stir and set aside for 1 minute before adding to the mix

- 1/4 cup applesauce

- 1/2 banana, mashed

- 1/4 cup soy yogurt

- 1/3 cup cooked pumpkin

- 1 serving of EnerG egg replacer (tapioca starch + potato starch)

-1/4 cup Silken Tofu

Need inspiration? Check out these recipes and enjoy a cholesterol free baked good!

Nana Walnut Mini Muffins

St. Patrick's Day Zucchini Bread

Candy Cane Peppermint Cookies

Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins

Southern Style Cornbread

Momma's Nana Walnut Mini Muffins

Egg Substitutes aren't just for baking....check out these recipes for delicious, cholesterol free dinners!

Southern Fried Tofu

Cheesy Cauliflower Rice and Broccoli Casserole

Butternut Squash Chickpea Cakes

Southern Fried Tofu

Italian Meatballs

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan Dinner: Soba Noodles with Garlic & Ginger Almond Dressing

2013-03-03T06:10:00.001-06:00

Happy Sunday! I've done it again thanks to Pinterest...how did we ever live without it??? This dish took about 20 minutes total to make and its served cold. I did heat up the leftovers for lunch the next day so either way it's yummy-good. I also want to thank Appetite for China for the recipe basics...of course I made a few changes to make it my own.

The best part? This dish is packed with protein (another dish to argue when people ask, "you're pregnant??? how do you get your protein???).

Let me break it down...

Soy Beans: 11g per 1/2-cup serving

Almond Butter: 7g per 2-tbsp serving

Soba Noodles (made with buckwheat): 6g per 1-cup serving

...not too shabby.

This was my first time cooking with Soba Noodles and they're fantastic; made with buckwheat flour, low in calories, good source of protein and basically fat free with only 0.1 g per 1-cup serving.

Ingredients:

-1 cup cooked edamame

-4 tbsp almond butter

-3 tbsp tamari

-6 tbsp water

-1 cup shredded organic carrots

-3 tbsp rice vinegar

-3 cloves of fresh garlic*, minced

-1 tbsp fresh ginger*, minced

-2, 3.1 oz packs of Soba Noodles (cook al dente)

-sliced lime for later

(keep in mind the FRESH garlic and ginger make all the difference, and feel free to add more if you wish, I love both and sometimes add extra)

Directions:

1. Cook Soba noodles al dente, drain the water, run under cold water, then drain again

2. Combine almond butter, tamari, water, vinegar, garlic and ginger to a large bowl and stir well with a whisk to break down the almond butter

3. Add the carrots and edamame to soba noodles

4. Add almond sauce to noodles and coat evenly

5. Top with freshly squeezed lime

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan and Pregnant: Week 29 + Sneak Peek of Maternity Shoot

2013-02-27T20:38:00.000-06:00

So I don't know about you but my weekend was amazing! A big thanks must go to Neda's Notions Photography. As this baby belly continues to grow every.single.day I must admit I've had a hard time adjusting to the weight gain and the other changes to my body (I won't go into detail...but let's just say things are...changing). After receiving these sneak peek photos I truly feel beautiful and am more excited than ever to become a momma.

An amazing opportunity has come my way to be a Mommy Rep for a photographer I'm now OBSESSED with. Her newborn pictures are adorable and I've fallen in love. My little man will be here in just 2 more months and I feel blessed my new friend will be taking the photos.

If you like these pics...stay tuned! There's many more to come :-)

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan Dinner: Creamy Broccoli, Peas and "Cheese" Please

2013-02-23T07:37:00.004-06:00

Can you believe there's NO dairy in this creamy-n-cheesy dish? Here's a casserole dish that will feed you for the next few days. It's extremely simple and will take about 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.

This dish involves my favorite ingredient--nutritional yeast. It's a yellow, flaky, inactive yeast that adds a cheesy flavor to any meal.

Ingredients:

-2 1/3 cups broccoli chopped
-2 cups almond milk
-2 cups nutritional yeast
-3 tbsp flax seed meal
-1 15oz can organic sweet peas
-3 1/2 cups of halfway cooked whole grain pasta (try sprouted, its much better for you) (want Gluten Free? use Quinoa Pasta)
-Salt and pepper to taste
(I added About 2 tsp of each)

Directions:

1. Combine milk, yeast, flax, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix
2. In a lined glass baking dish (I use non stick tinfoil) layer pasta, broccoli and peas
3. Pour the milk mixture into the glass bowl and until coated evenly (yes it will seem watery but will thicken as it cooks)
4. Cover and cook for 15 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees
5. Sprinkle additional nutritional yeast on top and cook an additional 10-15 minutes

(note: dish should be thick and creamy...if too dry add more milk and cook 5-10 minutes)

Enjoy!

-Joanna

I Heart Juicing! Breville Brand Review + Beginner's Juice Recipe

2013-02-13T20:14:00.001-06:00

Here goes nothing...I've decided to try juicing for the first time but was unsure how to begin. I'm an avid follower of Food Babe and she raves about the benefits. I was very hesitant about the juicer she recommends because of the high price, but after reading hundreds of reviews and doing a little research I decided the Breville brand was the best way to go. I chose specifically the Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus 850-watt Juice Extractor. It works great!! You can put a WHOLE apple in that thing and it breaks down perfectly. It's also easy to clean and not as noisy as my blender.

Isn't it pretty? You simply put the fruits and veggies into the large chute up top which are filtered through a mesh screen, then pulp is discarded to the left and the juice is poured into the pitcher on the right.

After a few tests and epic fails (four to be exact, and unfortunately my poor Hubs was the taste tester) I've finally discovered my first recipe that doesn't taste like straight up grass! It's very simple but great for people like me...trying to juice but are completely clueless.

Beginner's Juice

-3 large carrots
-4 stalks of celery
-4 apples

(Need it sweeter? Add another apple)

Directions

1. Wash all ingredients and place in a large bowl
2. Juice in this order: carrots, celery then the apples
(No need to cut anything up)
3. Stir and it's ready!

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Green Smoothie Challenge: The Berry Zinger

2013-02-13T09:25:00.001-06:00

Week 27 of my pregnancy and my smoothie commitment is going strong!

Here's another recipe from the challenge thanks to Simple Green Smoothies.

Berry Zinger Smoothie

1 cup arugula
1 cup spinach
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen mango
1 banana
1/4 squeezed lime
2 cups coconut water
1/2 cup almond milk
2 scoops vegan protein
powder (my own special touch)
2 tbsp ground flax seed (my own special touch)

Like it? Go to Simple Green Smoothies to learn more!

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan and Pregnant: Week 25

2013-01-29T21:12:00.000-06:00

Wow these weeks have flown by.

It's all finally hitting me there's a little person coming soon..and he's all mine and Craig's. Forever. I'm starting to imagine his little face, nose, ears and mouth. Will he look like me? Will he look like his daddy?

So exciting but also scary. Scary in a way that I hope to be a great mom and protect my son, and continue to be a great wife, friend and daughter. Can I do it? Will he be proud of me when he's older? I sure hope so.

Baby's perfect as of his 23 week checkup. His heartbeat is a healthy 153 and he's now a full 2 pounds! The size of an eggplant according to What to Expect. I recently took a glucose test as well that came back with no results...meaning I'm not at risk for gestational diabetes. How it works is that you don't eat for 10 hours, then drink a really sugary drink (kind of like a melted Popsicle) and your blood is tested every hour to ensure your body is breaking down the sugar effectively. I'm so thankful the test had positive results.

I'm also thankful for this man...my rock, my bestie, my baby daddy.

My husband is my world and he's going to be an amazing dad. Love this picture above of him praying before I walked down the aisle...can you even deal? Anddd tears. It's the little things that mean the most right now...cooking dinner, doing the dishes, making me tea, rubbing my feet. I love you Craiggy. How did I get so lucky?

-Joanna

Green Smoothie Challenge Week 1: Strawberry Banana & Blueberry

2013-01-28T09:08:00.001-06:00

Starting the week off right! Here's the latest smoothie recipe.

Keep in mind I add protein powder and flax to my smoothies but feel free to leave it out.

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan Breakfast: Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

2013-01-27T21:01:00.000-06:00

I did good on this one...really good. It does take some time but the recipe makes 8 servings so you can enjoy some immediately and save some for later.

First I made the dough from scratch and used King Arthur's Oatmeal Sandwich Bread recipe.

Dough:

-3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

-1 cup rolled oats

-2 tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Butter

-1 1/2 tsp salt

-3 tbsp agave syrup

-1 packet active dry yeast

-1 1/4 cups of almond milk

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow it to rest for 1 hour

(If the dough is too dry, add a little more water...If the dough is sticky, add more flour)

Cinnamon Rolls:

-8 tbsp vegan butter

-1 cup evaporated cane sugar

-2 tsp cinnamon

-1/2 tsp nutmeg

-1 portion of the dough recipe above

Cream Cheese Frosting:

-4 oz. vegan cream cheese

-1 cup confectioner's sugar

-1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Melt 4 tbsp butter then combine with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough, spread evenly with butter/sugar mixture

4. Roll the dough into a log, then cut 2 inch thick pieces

5. Add pieces to a greased baking pan, then cook 35 minutes until bread is slightly brown

(Note: I have a TERRIBLE oven so you may need to cook the buns a little longer)

6. Allow to cool before serving, then begin the frosting

7. Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to a bowl and whisk with remaining 4 tbsp of butter

YUM!!

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

2013-01-27T14:20:00.001-06:00

Have I mentioned before my pregnancy sweet tooth is out of control? Well I'm doing my best to control it and this smoothie was satisfying, healthy and delicious.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

-2 scoops Chocolate Protein Powder (try Arbonne Vegan Protein Powder)

-2 tbsp peanut butter (try Earth Balance Coconut & Peanut Spread)

-1 banana

-1 cup almond milk

-1/4 cup rolled oats

-Ice (about 4 cubes)

Blend and enjoy!

(If a little too thick to your liking, add a 1/4 cup of water)

-Joanna

Green Smoothie Challenge Week 1: My Heart Romaines

2013-01-25T08:32:00.001-06:00

Week 1 of the Smoothie Challenge continues and I have another great drink for you thanks to Simple Green Smoothies! I did make a small change to the original recipe by adding vegan protein powder and a little raw agave to sweeten it up a bit.

View my previous post for the complete Week 1 grocery list.

My Heart Romaines
(Makes 2 servings)

-2 cups of romaine lettuce
-1 cup frozen strawberries
-1 cup frozen blueberries
-1 clementine
-1 banana
-2 scoops raw vegan protein powder (or rice protein powder)
-3 tbsp raw agave syrup
-2 cups water

Blend the romaine and water first to help break up the greens, then add the remaining ingredients.

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Top Ten Vegetable Proteins

2013-01-23T13:51:00.001-06:00

Take it all in folks! I found this photo extremely interesting thanks to The Give Project.

So next time someone asks, "you're vegetarian? But how do you get your protein?" Show them this. The best part? These veggies don't have any of the sodium or fat like with meat protein.

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Green Smoothie Challenge Week 1: Peachy Kale Smoothie

2013-01-23T07:30:00.001-06:00

Exciting news! I've been getting bored with creating my own smoothies every morning so I've started to follow Simple Green Smoothies and decided I am up for The Challenge!

Here's how it works...you subscribe to their emails and every week you receive a grocery list and 4 new, 2 serving recipes. Ever go grocery shopping and half of your produce is wasted because you don't use it? You won't have this problem.

Below is my first grocery list for Week 1:

2 fresh mangos (I used frozen)
3 bananas
1 apple
1 peach
1 clementine
1 lime
frozen raspberries (8 oz)
frozen blueberries (16 oz)
frozen strawberries (16 oz)

Kale
Arugula
Romaine Lettuce
Fresh Spinach (10-16 oz)

Coconut Water
Orange Juice (no sugar added)

Here's the first recipe I used this morning:

Peachy Kale (By Simple Green Smoothies)

2 cups kale (to help break up the kale, blend with water and orange juice first)
1 fresh mango (1 cup)
1 apple
1 peach
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
*For an extra protein boost I added 2 scoops of rice protein to the mix

Blend and enjoy! (Looks weird...tastes amazing!)

-Joanna

Organic vs. Non-Organic

2013-01-10T18:29:00.001-06:00

As I was reading the latest Everman's Newsletter I came across a little gem. This very important article mentions 12 foods that MUST be organic and another list is given of produce that is safe to buy non-organic.

Organic food can be expensive so I thought this would be helpful for some of you. Just remember...if we buy more organic produce, the demand for more organic produce will go up, awareness will increase, crappy produce won't sell, we'll get more good stuff in our stores and it will become cheaper. Well that's what I'm hoping for at least...fingers crossed!

(The legit Environmental Working Group states these 12 will lower your pesticide exposure by 90%..90!)

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Domestic Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell peppers
8. Spinach, kale and collard greens
9. Cherries
10. Potatoes
11. Imported grapes
12. Lettuce

Save some money and don't believe the hype...some produce is safe to eat non-organic...like these below. Why are they safe? Because they don't absorb pesticides as easily.

1. Onions
2. Avocados
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapples
5. Mango
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi fruit
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet potatoes
15. Sweet onions

Thank you to Evermans Natural Foods for this great info!

P.S. I was originally viewing the newsletter to peak at my upcoming cooking class post. Pretty neat right? If you're in the Pensacola area check out all the store's upcoming events.

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Protein Drink

2013-01-07T19:05:00.001-06:00

Sambazon Protein (Chocolate, Almond, and Coconut Milk) Superfood Smoothie

No time in the morning to make a smoothie? Try this organic option. Vegan, gluten free and 8 grams of protein!

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Non Dairy Coffee Creamer

2013-01-05T12:50:00.001-06:00

Being pregnant I definitely try to cut back on the caffeine.

My doctor and dietician gave me the ok to drink a little coffee each morning and Silk French Vanilla Creamer is my go to creamer. It's benefits include no dairy, lactose, casein, fat nor cholesterol. Best of all it's Non GMO! Meaning the soy in the product is not genetically modified so it's healthy and delicious.

So drink up and enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan Dinner: Italian Meatballs

2012-12-26T10:32:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We had a simple Italian meal and it was delicious. These meatballs took about 25 minutes total to make.

Thanks to Lightlife for the recipe!

Ingredients:

-1 bag of Boca Burger Tofu Crumbles (or 1 pound of gimme lean beef...any substitute equal to 1 pound of ground beef)

-1/3 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs

-1/4 cup of soy milk

-2 tbsp minced onion

-3/4 tsp salt

-2 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

-1 egg equivalent replacement (I used 1 tbsp flaxseed meal and 3 tbsp water)

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients except egg equivalent. Allow to settle 1 to 2 minutes then add to meat mixture

2. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on non stick pan

3. Cook 15-20 minutes under 400 degrees. Check one meatball to make sure the center isn't too mushy

4. Serve over pasta with spaghetti sauce

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Merry Christmas!

2012-12-25T08:57:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Vegan WifeStyle! Thanks to everyone for all of their love and support.

-Joanna

Holiday Snack: Sweet and Spicy party mix

2012-12-22T06:46:00.003-06:00

Another party favorite of mine with the help of Pinterest and Martha Stewart (with a vegan twist of course and a little more spice). This is so easy you can make it as guests start to arrive.

Hubby, mom and I exchanged Christmas gifts last night and I made this along with my Tomato and Olive Bruschetta to snack on. Christmas music, family, food and board games made for one perfect night.

Ingredients:

-2 cups thin pretzel sticks
-1 cup raw organic almonds
-2 tbsp vegan butter (earth balance brand)
-2 tbsp organic dark brown evaporate cane sugar
-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2. Add pretzels and almonds to large bowl and mix

3. Combine butter, sugar and cayenne to a saucepan and cook over med heat until butter us melted and sugar is dissolved

4. When mix starts to boil, remove from heat and add to bowl with pretzels and almonds. Stir until coated

5. Add mix to parchment paper on a baking pan and cook for 20 minutes, tossing once after 10 minutes

6. Let cool and serve

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Vegan Side: Garlic Grilled Broccoli with Tuscan Herbs

2012-12-20T17:57:00.000-06:00

Sometimes office Christmas parties can be dull but I'm blessed to work with a great group of women and our parties are always a good time. For Christmas we always do a Secret Santa gift exchange. I lucked out with this gift!

It was local organic olive oil from The Bodacious Olive infused with Tuscan herbs. I couldn't wait to cook with this!

So of course I immediately logged onto Pinterest for inspiration and came across this little gem on Food Fanatic.

I nixed the Parmesan cheese of course to make it vegan and substituted my Tuscan herb olive oil. It was delicious!

Ingredients:

-1 head of broccoli, chopped

-2 tbsp minced garlic, add more if needed

-3 tbsp olive oil, add more if needed

-lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Toss broccoli in a large bowl with all the ingredients except lemon juice

3. Add to non stick tinfoil, cover and bake for 25 minutes or until broccoli is softened a bit (I kept checking to make sure it didn't burn but wanted it to soften)

4. Remove and sprinkle with lemon juice (about half a lemon)

Enjoy!

-Joanna

Holiday Cookie Swap: Candy Cane Peppermint Cookies

2012-12-18T09:31:00.001-06:00

Christmas is almost here and everywhere I turn there is temptation...Cookies, cupcakes, and pies oh my! Fight the fat and try these vegan cookies!

I recently went to a friend's house for a holiday cookie swap and my dish won Most Creative Cookie! A big thanks must go out to Healthy Bitch Daily for the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup vegan butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg replacer
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp red food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the flour and salt together, set aside.

2. In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, whip butter until creamy

3. Slowly add the powdered sugar and keep stirring until light and fluffy

4. First add powdered egg replacer to a small bowl and mix with water until completely dissolved. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Now add egg replacer, vanilla and peppermint extract

6. Slowly mix in the flour mixture by adding a little at a time

7. Remove slightly more than half of the dough from the bowl and set aside.

8. Add the red food coloring to the remaining dough and stir until evenly mixed and colored

9. For each candy cane, scoop out 1 teaspoonful of the plain dough and 1 teaspoonful of pink dough

10. Roll each dough portion between your hands to make a 4-inch rope.
Twist the ropes around each other like a Barber Pole and shape into a cane shape.

11. Arrange cookies onto nonstick aluminum foil about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 8 minutes until firm to the touch and transfer to parchment paper. Makes about 30 cookies

(See pic below...not as pretty as the Healthy B Daily pic but very tasty!)

Enjoy!

-Joanna