Sundried Tomato, Humus, Avocado, Onion Sandwich

Yep the dry spell is definitely over --- here a recipe for you to use up those sun dried tomatoes you made in your oven -- Hope you enjoy!!!

6 sundried tomato halves
1/4 avocado sliced thin
1/4 inch sweet onion sliced thin
2 tbs humus*
2 slices bread or you could use a wrap



*Humus
1 can chickpeas - washed and drained
Juice from 1 medium lemon
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp Fiesta Mix*

Place all ingredients in a food processor - sprinkle Fiesta Mix and pulse - continue to pulse until mixture is creamy, if mixture is to thick add a little water, pulse until you reach the desired consistency.

*Fiesta Mix
3 tbs chili powder
2 tbs salt
1 tbs cumin
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl then transfer to a jar - make sure the seal is tight to avoid mix becoming hard.


Spread humus on your bread, add tomoatoes, avocado and onion - slice and enjoy

#Vegan #GMO #Nutrition

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Okay the dry spell is officially over!!!!!  I am in the midst of moving and have not bought a dehydrator yet - so the next best thing is to use the oven at its lowest setting.  If you love tomatoes here is an easy way to make your own sun dried tomatoes ---

10 roma tomatoes
parchment paper
baking sheet

Preheat Oven to 200

Wash and slice tomatoes in half - place on parchment paper on your baking sheet, place in the oven and bake for 12 hours.  I started mine at 8:00pm so they would be ready when I got up.  They should look wrinkled and dry.  You can place them in a jar with Olive Oil, or a ziplock bag.  I would recommend using them in 5 to 7 days not sure if they will last longer, mine were gone right away!

#Vegan #GMO #Nutrition

Help - A dry spell in the Kitchen

I've been in agony these past few days feeling as though I was in a dry spell - lost in the kitchen - nearly ready to have a meltdown because "I don't know what to cook"!  Do you ever get that way?  Not sure if it is because the wind is out of my sails, I am getting bored, lazy, who knows. Sometimes I start to think I've become a lunatic with this non-GMO, Vegan, March Against Monsanto craze.  Maybe lunatic is not the right word, no mental illness here - that I know of.

Thank God for faith and the wonderful friends out there that share eye opening posts and recipes. Inspiration for me comes from so many different places.  Once I take the pressure off of me and STOP trying to be perfect things fall into place.  We just have to let those creative juices flow.  Its happens like magic - lets say a tomato comes to mind - its mind blowing how the thought of a tomato turns into a breathtaking meal.

Oh yes - breathtaking - magical - little bit of heaven - so how do you get your inspiration?  Where do you get those ideas for your recipes?

And, that breathtaking magical little bit of heaven tomato meal will be posted shortly!

#vegan #GMO #healthy #nutrition

Homemade Butterfingers

Thank You! Delaney Page for sharing this recipe with me.   Boy oh boy they are delish - I cut them into 30 pieces and ate 5 in one sitting.  Since I obviously lacked self control I ended up taking a dozen to my acupuncture lady - she agreed they are delicious.  Gonna make these again and substitute the granulated sugar with coconut palm sugar, or yacon syrup or brown rice syrup - since these are a lot lower on the glycemic index 

(Original recipe from brittanyangell.com) 

Ingredients

1/3 Cup Coconut Nectar or Agave

1/3 Cup Water

1 Cup Granulated Sugar (Organic Cane Sugar or Turbinato or regular white sugar)

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (if using a healthy version add a little melted coconut oil to make it creamy

1 Cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (or regular chocolate chips)

1-2 Tsp. Coconut Oil (optional)

12 x 17 Jelly Roll Pan (cookie sheet) covered with a sheet of Parchment Paper.

Candy Thermometer

Large Kitchen Knife + Oil (or non-stick spray) to coat it

Instructions

1. Place a sheet of parchment paper on jelly roll pan. Scoop peanut butter into measuring cup and set

it next to stove with a spoon ready to go.

2. Into a heavy bottomed non-stick (or cast iron) sauce pan combine the Syrup, Water and Granulated

Sugar. Turn heat on medium high- stir until the sugar dissolves. As the sugar mixture heats it will

bubble and change composition- stir it occasionally (It should not stick to the pan) place a candy

thermometer in and carefully monitor the temp. (Don’t allow the thermometer to touch the pan as

this will give you an inaccurate temp. read)

3. When the temp. reaches 280- 285 degrees quickly turn off the heat (any hotter and the sugar will

burn). QUICKLY stir in the peanut butter. Still moving at a quick pace- poor the mixture onto the

prepared pan with parchment. Spread the candy mixture just slightly (it should be about an inch

thick)

4. Coat the large knife with oil and score the bars into the size that you would like. (Tip: When you

score DO NOT drag the knife. Press down and then lift up. Re-oil knife as needed. I like to go back

over the score lines several times to make them as deep as possible)

5. Allow the butterfinger’s to cool at room temp for 1-2 hours.

6. Once cool use a large knife to cut (break) the candy bars apart.

7. Melt the Chocolate Chips in a microwave 1-2 minutes (stopping the microwave every so often to

stir). If the chocolate is too thick for you to comfortably work with stir in 1-2 Tsp of Coconut Oil. (The

more oil you use- the quicker the chocolate will melt in your hand when eating)

8. Dip each bar in the chocolate – let the extra chocolate drip off and then place on either a sheet of

parchment paper or on a cooling wrack.

9. Let the chocolate cool and harden (if you are impatient- stick the bars in your freezer!)

#Vegan, GlutenFree 

Tortilla Soup

At one time me and hubby would go to BJs Restaurant at least 3 times a week - we went for the lunch special which was all you can eat soup and salad.  Our salad of choice was the wedge with extra bacon and blue cheese dressing complimented by the Chicken Tortilla Soup.  Well, as my grandson Joshua would say "Granny, those days are long gone".  Those days may be long gone but my desire for Tortilla Soup is still here - and what better time of the year to make it than winter -- especially since all of a sudden we have been getting some rain in So California!.  So here we go ----

Tortilla Soup
1/2 onion - diced
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 tbs olive or avocado oil
1 qt of vegetable broth (4 cups)
1 canned organic diced tomatoes
1 medium poblano or jalapeno chile - seeded, veins removed & chopped
1 tbs Fiesta Mix*
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 avocado - diced
Cilantro for garnish
Tortilla strips (optional)

*Fiesta Mix
3 tbs chili powder
2 tbs salt
1 tbs cumin
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper

Saute onions in oil over medium heat - cook for about 2 minutes - add the chopped chile and saute for 2-3 minutes - add the garlic saute for 1 minute - sprinkle the Fiesta Mix and stir - add the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes - sprinkle in the salt - bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat - Serve in bowls with diced avocado and cilantro.

For the tortilla strips I used Gluten Free Wrap - Red Chile (Sandwich Petals)
Cut the wrap in strips and cook on high heat in 4 tbs avocado oil  (you may need to use more oil depending on how many tortillas your cooking) - cook until strips start to harden, be careful to not overcook this wrap burns easily.

#Vegan #GMO #Meatless #GMO #Nutrition

Humus Veggie Pita

Last summer I watched the Forks Over Knives documentary and it changed my life.  I learned a lot about the nutrients my body needs on a daily basis.  This was another one of those go all in or not at all adventures for me.  This documentary prompted me to read The China Study and ultimately go vegan.  I purchased the Forks Over Knives Cookbook and started cooking away.  The humus for this pita is a modified version from the cookbook.  Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

Humus
1 can chickpeas - washed and drained
Juice from 1 medium lemon
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp Fiesta Mix*

Place all ingredients in a food processor - sprinkle Fiesta Mix and pulse - continue to pulse until mixture is creamy, if mixture is to thick add a little water, pulse until you reach the desired consistency.

*Fiesta Mix
3 tbs chili powder
2 tbs salt
1 tbs cumin
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl then transfer to a jar - make sure the seal is tight to avoid mix becoming hard.

Veggie Mix
1 tbs olive or avocado oil
1/2 onion - sliced
3 cloves garlic - chopped
1 cup mushrooms - sliced
1 medium red bell pepper - sliced
1/2 tomato - sliced
1/2 avocado - sliced


Saute over medium heat sliced onion and garlic in oil for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, add bell pepper and stir for 1 minute, add mushrooms and saute for 3 to 4 minutes or when mushrooms are soften.

Pita
You can buy pita bread from almost any store, I buy the ones from Trader Joe's

Spread hummus on the pita, add sliced tomato, avocado and mushroom mixture.  Veggie mixture will be enough for 2 pita's, you will have plenty of humus left!

#Vegan #Healthy #Nutrition #GMO #Meatless

Minestrone Soup

I love how we have gotten just a small taste of winter in So California! Its been just cold enough for my body to crave soup.  When you are faced with one of those cold days how about Minestrone Soup.  I searched the internet, magazines, and cookbooks and took the ingredients I liked from many and combined them into one.  Hope you enjoy!

• 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup carrots chopped
• 1 large red potato, diced
• ½ cup chopped celery  
• 1 quart Vegetable broth (4 cups)
• 1 can Northern beans
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can organic diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 3 tsps. parsley flakes
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 3/4 cup pasta
• Grated Vegan Parmesan cheese, for garnish

·         In medium stock pot sauté onion and garlic in oil on medium heat until onions become translucent, add carrots, potatoes and celery – sauté until celery softens - add vegetable broth, canned beans, diced tomatoes with juice, garlic salt, pepper and parsley flakes, stir and bring to a boil - turn heat down and simmer stirring occasionally for 30 minutes – add chopped zucchini and pasta simmer for an additional 30 minutes.  Serve hot and garnish with Vegan Parmesan cheese

·         #vegan #meatless #healthy #nutrition

Zucchini Bacon

Really wish I could take credit for this recipe but I can't.  My friend Brenda Miller was telling me about a BLT she ate a couple of weeks ago that was Vegan and Raw.  I have to admit never heard of vegan bacon, so off I went in search of a recipe for zucchini bacon that did not require a dehydrator because you all know since Dave Ramsey's FPU class no swiping the card to purchase items you can't afford.  That dehydrator is just gonna have to wait.

Lets get back to the Zucchini bacon - I did find a recipe and guess what --- yep I made it in my oven -- and it was good good good!

I did alter her recipe just a tad - the recipe came from Vegan Epicurean!

4 zucchini, sliced thin (I used Kitchen Aid mandoline 1/32 setting - I recommend you use 1/16 mine were a little to thin)
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs amber agave
3 tbs tamari sauce
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbs liquid smoke
fresh ground pepper to taste

Whisk the marinate and place the zucchini slices in a large zip lock bag or container with a lid.  Marinate the zucchini overnight, toss the zucchini periodically to make sure all slices absorb the flavor.

Preheat the over to 200 degrees - line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or you can use a pizza stone sheet like I did - place zucchini strips evenly on the pan without overlapping.  Bake your strips and use the leftover marinate to brush the zucchini strips while cooking.

Check the zucchini every hour, turn each slice and brush with marinate.  The thinner the strips the faster they will cook.  I cooked mine for 3 hours - how long you cook yours depends on how chewy or crispy you want yours.

Once you remove from the oven place on a paper towel to absorb the oil.  Then serve up your BLT. Enjoy

Veggie Wrap

Some people like to wrap their kids - well I like to wrap my food.  I love brown rice tortillas and wrap just about every and anything in them except fruit.  Never tried wrapping fruit - that may be my next adventure.

When you are in a hurry or just don't feel like cooking here is a really quick recipe for a Veggie Wrap.
This recipe is enough to make 2 wraps, or 1 wrap with a side salad.  Either way it is yummy!!!!


1 Zucchini - chopped
1 cup mushrooms - sliced
1 roma tomato - chopped
1/4 sweet white onion sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tbs avocado or olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
pepper to taste

Saute over medium to low heat - oil, garlic and onion for about 2 minutes, add zucchini and cook for about 2 minutes, add mushrooms and tomato, stir gently until mushroom begin to soften, add salt, pepper and turmeric, stir for an additional 2 to 3 minutes - remove from heat and wrap or serve on a fresh bed of leafy greens along with a glass of fresh carrot, apple ginger juice!