Simply Delicious....

Creamy Raw Cashew Butter

Was mighty tired of paying $12 a jar for Cashew butter, so figured I'd make my own...

and what a difference from the store bought stuff... This stuff is smooth, creamy, delicious, and is a  fraction of the cost.. Yum

3 cups raw cashews

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp scraped vanilla bean ( you can sub vanilla extract )

Place in a heavy duty food processor and process on high speed.  Stop and scrape the bowl every few minutes. The mixture will first turn into flour then into a very thick paste. Just keep processing and scraping the bowl. The mixture will eventually turn into a creamy, almost smooth texture. The whole process takes about 25 minutes of processing.

January 14th continued....

Spicy Peanut Dressing

I threw together these little wraps of carrots, red peppers, avocado, and sprouts wrapped in Nori and drizzled them with this amazing dressing...

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger

2 Tbsp Tamari

2 Tbsp Agave

1/3 cup organic peanut butter

1/3 cup ( more or less ) water

chili powder to taste

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth, adjust with water to your liking.

( recipe by This Rawsome Vegan Life )

January 14, 2014

I am no raw-foodist, by any means, but I came across A Vegan Raw Recipe for brownies that looked pretty interesting, so I thought I'd try it out and WOW...I absolutely love these!!!  Thank you Emily Von Euw, for posting this ridiculously easy and delicious recipe.

Chewy, Fudgy Raw Brownies

1 Cup raw cashews

1 Cup raw oats

2 cups dates

1/4 cup dark raw cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp melted raw coconut oil

pinch of sea salt

Put everything in a food processor and process until mixture begins to stick together. Check with your finger and if you can press the mixture together it is ready.  Press into a pan and refrigerate, then cut into squares.



Cooking, Cooking & More Cooking

Aloo Gobi

Potato & Cauliflower Curry ( Oil-free )

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp minced ginger

2 Clovers garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeno, minced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets

3/4 pound white potato diced

1/4 pound sweet potato diced

1 cup green peas

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder, or to taste

1 cup vegetable stock

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/2 Tbsp agave

salt and pepper to taste

place onion in large pot and saute over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Adding water by the tablespoon to keep the onions from sticking. add the ginger, garlic and jalapeno and cook 3 minutes . Add the stock,  tomato, cauliflower, potatoes, cumin, coriander, and garam masala, and chili powder and cook covered until vegeables are soft. Add peas and cook 5 minutes longer. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste

Adapted from Forks over Knives Cookbook

January 7th, 2014 Continued

Braised Red Cabbage & Beans

1 large onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh thyme

1 1/2 cups red wine

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Large head purple cabbage shredded

Two 15-ounce canned Navy beans

2 tart apples, diced

1 Tbsp Agave

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place onions, carrots,  and celery in large saucepan and heat. Cook until tender, adding water by the tsp. so that the veggies don't stick ( about 5-6 minutes) add the garlic and 1 tbsp water and cook another minute or so.. Add the thyme, redwine, and mustar and cook until the wine is reduced by half. About 10 minutes.

Add the cabbage, beans and apples and cook covered until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes, Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.

Adapted from Forks Over Knives Cookbook

January 7th, 2014

Creamy Swiss Chard Soup

 A really delicious yet simple soup to make

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion, diced

3/4 tsp ground cumin

Chili powder to taste

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 pound Swiss chard, stems removed and chopped into bite sized pieces

5 cups Vegetable stock

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

In a large hot pan, add onions, cumin, chili powder and salt and saute until soft ( adding water by the tsp, so they onions don't stick)

Add the garlic and saute another couple minutes. Add the chard and stock. bring to a boil and then lower heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add the coconut milk and check for salt to taste. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Garnish each serving with a dusting of cumin.

Adapted from The Inspired Vegan

January 7, 2014

Red Beans with Roasted Garlic  Gravy

Ingredients

1/2 cup red onion, diced

2 Cups Dried Kidney beans, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed

2 cups vegetable stock

1 head of garlic, wrapped in foil and roasted in the oven at 350 until soft

2 Tbsp fresh time

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add onion to hot pan and saute over medium heat , stirring often until onion is soft. ( add water 1 Tbsp at a time to prevent onion from sticking )

Meanwhile put bean in pot and add water to cover  them by about 2" . Turn to high and bring to boil, skim any foam then lower heat. Add onions and cook partially covered until tender ( 1 1/2 - 2 hours )

When beans are almost done add 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste. stir well.

Transfer 2 cups of the cooked beans and their liquid to a blender, squeeze the pulp from the whole head of garlic into the blender and blend until creamy. Return this mixture to pot of beans and continue to cook for another 30 minutes. Add thyme and cook another minute.

My favorite way to serve this is with fresh chili's and raw onions over rice with a side of sweet potato salad.

Recipe adapted from The Inspired Vegan

January 4th 2014

Collard greens so good, you'll want to eat  them as the main course!

Butter  Bean and Tomato Drenched Collard Greens

1 large can or package frozen butter beans, rinsed
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 pounds of collards, ribs removed and sliced thinly, cut leaves into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Large onion, diced 
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalepeno, minced
1 tsp. salt
5 1/2 cups vegetable stock

Plave tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with boiling water and set aside for 20 minutes
rinse and drain the collards and stems. In a large pot over high heat, bring 3 quarts saltedwater to boil and cook collard stems for 3 minutes then add leaves and cook another three minutes. drain and rinse.
Put the tomatoes and their liquid into a blender with the lemon juice, salt vinegar and tomato paste and blend until creamy.
In large pot, heated high add onion and brown slightly, adding water by the teaspoon as needed so they don't stick. Add the garlic, and jalenpeno and saute until starting to turn golden. Add the tomato mixture and cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until mixture thickens.
add the collards and stems, veggie stock and beans. Stir well and partially cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until greens are very tender. Adjust for salt and serve over brown rice.

Happy New Years, Part 2

Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked brown rice

2 medium eggplants, sliced lengthwise

1 medium onion, small dice

1 stalk celery, small dice

1 medium red pepper, small dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup basil leaves

1 tsp.  Raw Agave

Salt and pepper to taste

Scoop out the flesh of the eggplants, leaving a 1/4 " thick shell. Coarsely chop the pulp and  and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350
Place the onion, red pepper, and celery in a hot dry pan and saute for about 7 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown. add water 1 Tbsp at a time,to keep the veggies from sticking. Add the garlic and eggplant pulp and cook until the eggplant is tender. Add the rice and basil to the mixture and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the mixture evenly between the shells and place in a baking dish and cover with foil Bake for 40 minutes.

Adapted from The Forks Over Knives Cookbook

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Whole Wheat pasta with Spicy Eggplant

Ingredients:

I medium onion, diced
1 Large eggplant, peeled, quartered and cut into 1/2 "dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
salt to taste
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta
2 tsp oregano,
2 tsp basil
3 cups Spinach, chopped
(1/2 cup Daiya shreds, optional)

Place the onion in a pan and saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes, add water 1 Tbsp at a time, if the onion starts to stick. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, adding water only when eggplant starts to stick.
Add the garlic and spices and cook another 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, red wine vinegar and cook, covered for about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Season with salt and 
top with Daiya shreds if using.