Magic Soup

So it has been said that the "chicken noodle soup cure" is a big myth... Well I think there is something to be said for it. But being a vegan, I of course have to put a little spin on the whole thing.

This soup will really open your sinuses and I think it actually makes people feel better. I have a couple of secret ingredients (ginger root and cayenne pepper) that give it the kick that it needs to really get your immune system going and open up those air ways!

Vegetable broth soup:

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbl coconut oil
1 yellow onion (chopped)

2 medium carrots  (sliced into 1/4 inch pieces)

4 stalks celery (sliced into 1/4 inch pieces)

6 cups water

1 Tbl garlic (minced-- about 2 cloves)

2 thumb sized pieces of ginger root 

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less if making this for children or if you are not a fan of spice)
2 Tbl Italian seasoning

1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans cooked (or 1 can) -- any other white beans would work just fine! 

1 cup finely chopped kale (for garnish)

Process:

In a medium sized soup pot, add the coconut oil, onion, carrots, and celery. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the water, garlic, ginger root, cayenne pepper, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until veggies are soft. Turn off heat, carefully scoop out the two pieces of ginger- discard and add garbanzo beans. Ladle into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of chopped kale. Makes about 6 servings.

If you're looking to make this meal a little bit more substantial, serve over cooked quinoa!

I like to keep my soup in mason jars. Some in the fridge and some in the freezer. Just make sure to let the soup cool before placing the lid on and make sure not to fill the jar too full or it will shatter when it freezes. 

♥ E

Raw Vegan Tiramisu Mousse

This was just a, "Hmm what am I going to do with the next few minutes--I feel like making something," spur of the moment creation.

Ok so there are a few things you should know about me...
1) I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Coffee....
2) Dark chocolate has a special place in my heart.
3) I am in love with coconut milk.. Especially the kind from a can. SO GOOD.
4) Tiramisu is one of my all time fave things and is rarely done well when made vegan.

So here is a little spin on the traditional tiramisu.

                                                p.s. there is no sugar in here. Get excited.


Ingredients:
1 can full fat coconut milk that has been chilled overnight (seriously the reduced fat stuff will not work and this is the good fat. :) )
9 dried dates (pitted and cut in half)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 packets of Stevia in the raw
1 Tbl espresso powder (mixed with 1tsp warm- hot water)
3 Tbl cocoa powder (I like to use dark cocoa powder)

 Process:
Scoop your coconut milk out into a bowl. Just the super thick white part, save the watery bit for a smoothie or an after workout drink. Take half of the thick coconut milk and put it into a blender or food processor (I used my magic bullet). To the coconut milk in the blender, add: the dates, 1 tsp of the vanilla, 1 packet of stevia, the mixed espresso powder, and the cocoa powder. Blend until smooth. While that is blending, take the other half of the coconut milk and put it in the bowl of your mixer, add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 stevia packet. With the whisk attachment, whisk until medium stiff to stiff peaks form. Take a ramekin (I used a fairly large ramekin, so it just made one. If you have smaller ones you can make 2-3 depending on the ramekin size) and pour in the chocolate espresso mix. It will be fairly bitter - just like real tiramisu. Tap the ramekin lightly on the table so the mixture levels out. Finally, spoon the whipped coconut milk on top. Smooth out with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula.  Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until set. About 2 hours.

--This is a slightly bitter treat, yet the coconut milk is very light and sweet. If you prefer the chocolate espresso part to be sweeter, either add more dates or stevia!

I am literally in food heaven, you guys... ENJOY! :)

 ♥ E

Mind Your Peas and Qs

You might see a pattern here... I like soup and I like paprika. Like a lot... :)

Smoky Split Pea & Quinoa Soup

Ingredients: 

1 Tbl coconut oil

1 onion (diced)

1 Tbl minced garlic

1 green pepper (chopped) 

1 bag split green peas, cooked until soft

1 Tbl smoked paprika

1 tsp chili powder 

2 cups vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbl lemon juice
2 cups cooked quinoa
Cilantro for garnish (if desired) 

Process: 

In a medium sized pot, saute coconut oil, onion, garlic and pepper until softened and golden. Add cooked spit peas, spices, and vegetable broth. Transfer to blender in batches and blend. Transfer back to pot and heat through. Add lemon juice and quinoa just before serving.

p.s. I know it looks really red, but as I said.. I like paprika.. A LOT!

Makes 6 servings. I store the extras in mason jars. Some in the freezer and some in the fridge. Just remember when storing in the freezer to leave extra space at the top of the jar or your jar will explode. It happened to me just yesterday.... 

 ♥ E

Smoky Sweet Potato Soup

What to do when you have a friend come over and realize that you should probably feed them and you have a couple sweet potatoes that need used up? Sweet potato soup, of course!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbl coconut oil
1 onion (diced)

1 tsp minced garlic

1 red pepper

3 sweet potatoes (baked or steamed and smashed)

1/2 cup coconut or almond milk

1 cup vegetable broth

1 Tbl smoked paprika

1/2 Tbl chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

lemon juice

avocado

cilantro

Process: 

In a medium sized pot, saute coconut oil, onion, garlic and red pepper until softened and golden. Add smashed sweet potatoes, spices and liquids. Transfer to blender in batches and blend. Transfer back to pot and heat through. 

Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice, sliced avocado, and chopped cilantro.

Makes 6 servings. I generally save 2 servings in the fridge and put the others in mason jars in the freezer. Then I just take them out and let them thaw when I know that I will want one later. 

 ♥ E

Out of This World Oatmeal Cookies

Have you ever been to Starbucks? Of course you have. You don't live under a rock. So they have these  "Outrageous Oatmeal" cookies that are to die for... I'm serious guys, I think the first time I had one I levitated a little bit. This was all before I was vegan... I wanted so badly to find the recipe and lo and behold they had it on their website. But get this... One cookie had like 650 calories!!!!!! That's like half a day of calories... In ONE stinking cookie.

So I decided to get a little crazy and make my own recipe. Over the years I have tweaked it and this is by far my favorite version of this cookie.

Also, you should know that before I made these, there were two things I HATED in my cookies... Raisins and Oatmeal. Guess what these contain. BOTH! Get excited. I sure am.

Ingredients:
1 cup natural, unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1 Tbl maple syrup
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
2 cups oatmeal
1/4 garbanzo bean flour (or any other gfree flour)
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup yellow raisins
(extra raisins to top cookies)


Process: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Mix wet ingredients until smooth. Add dry ingredients. Scoop out by the tablespoonful onto the prepared cookie sheets and flatten. Bake for 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle raisins on top (if you do it when you first put them in the oven, they will burn). Bake for another 5 minutes or until cookies are set. Makes 2 dozen.

I keep a bag in the freezer and take one in my bag to class to fend of the morning tummy rumbles.

♥ E

Green Goddess Bowl

Here's another one that I have had three times in the last week... A good sign that I am definitely obsessed. This bad boy is super fast and easy, but is so filling and creamy. YUM

Main Dish:
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1 small onion (diced)
1 zucchini (ends removed and shaved with a vegetable peeler-- you'll end up with a chunk in the middle at the end that you can't shave. Just chop it into fine pieces.)
2 big hand fulls kale (stems removed and chopped)
3/4 cup garbanzo beans

Sauce:
1 ripe avocado (seeded and removed from skin)
1 clove or 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 - 1/3 cup coconut milk (other non-dairy milk will work)
Fresh Basil or dried spices of choice
salt and pepper to taste

Process: Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Let them soften for about 2 minutes. Add the shaved zucchini. Let cook for 2 more minutes. Add the kale and cook until kale is wilted and the zucchini is soft and starting to get golden from the pan. Add the garbanzo beans and turn off the heat. Leave pan covered.
Take all ingredients for the sauce and place in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Dish up veggies and top with creamy sauce. Mix and enjoy!! :)

** Makes 2 good sized servings... Or one if you reallllyyyy reallllyyyy like it. (Guilty...)

P.s. this meal can be saved. Just add a little more lemon juice to the avocado sauce and put it in a baggie and refrigerate. Just heat up the left over veggies and top with the sauce.

Additional add in ideas:
--Mushrooms
--Spinach
--Quinoa

 ♥ E

Eclectic Enchilada Pie with Cilantro Chimichurri

The reason I call this enchilada dish eclectic is because you can literally throw any vegetables into it. Got some sweet potatoes you want to use up? Throw it in. Got some kale that you know you can't use, but you just couldn't pass up the giant bag of organic kale goodness at Costco? Throw it in.

I literally can't get enough of this. I have made it twice within one week... So you know I am obsessed.



Here is for how I made this specific (and favorite) variation of the Eclectic Enchilada Pie:


Ingredients:

Veggies:
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 onion -- diced (whichever color you prefer)
2 bell peppers -- chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (whichever color you prefer, I like to mix red & green)
8 oz of mushrooms -- washed and sliced
1 zuchini -- cut long ways into fourths and then sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
2-4 handfuls of kale - stemmed and chopped into fine pieces (helps the kale to wilt faster)

2 Gluten Free tortillas -- I like the flavor of La Tortilla Factory's Smart & Delicious Wheat/Gluten Free Softwraps - or home made rice tortillas.

Sauce:
1 - 28 oz jar diced tomatoes with green chilis
ancho chipotle powder (to taste.. I like mine smokey and spicy so I pour in a LOT)

Chimichurri:
1 bunch Cilantro (Chopped fairly fine)
1/4 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 Tbs White Wine Vinegar
Crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Process:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Throw all of the veggies (except the kale and zucchini  into a skillet or a large bottomed pot with the coconut oil and sauté until the veggies are almost soft. When the veggies are part way done, add the zucchini and kale - they cook much faster than the other veggies. Meanwhile, add the jar of diced tomatoes and the chipotle powder to a sauce pan and heat on the stove. I leave all of the juice in the tomatoes and cook it on high heat so that some of the juice cooks off and it leaves the tomatoes really soft and saucy. <-- Very technical, I know.

Once the sauce and veggies are ready, take a 9 inch pie dish and add put a little sauce in the bottom (about one and a half cooking spoons full, just to line it.) Layer a tortilla on top. Add a layer of veggies, then a layer of sauce, next another tortilla, then a layer of sauce, and then a layer of veggies. Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins depending on how crispy you like your edges. The tortillas get really soft, and almost take on a lasagna noodle texture.

While that is baking, Take all of your ingredients from the chimichurri and add to a mason jar. Shake and go.

Serve hot with cool chimichurri on top. YUMMO

I made a double batch and put it in individual containers for lunches, I just pop them into the toaster oven and they are good to go. Keep the chimichurri in the fridge. If for some reason you have extra veggies that didn't all fit into the enchilada pie, save them and serve them over cooked quinoa! Dont forget to have some chimichurri with it! Cilantro addicts, unite! :)

♥ E

The Happy Hyper Cookie

Be forewarned… When you make these cookies, you WILL stay up with your friends until 3AM playing board games and laughing about things that really aren’t that funny… Like glassware.

                                  

This heavenly, fluffy, cookie is a remake from “Vegan Cookie’s Invade Your Cookie Jar.”  I wanted to make a version that was gluten free, sugar free, and oil free. So this afternoon I started throwing things into a bowl, that’s where the real magic happens. 

So here goes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. (Trust me, you really want that parchment paper!!!) 

1 cup coconut milk (I used So Delicious from a carton, so it was thinner and has less calories/fat)
2 ripe bananas (smashed)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds2 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 Tbs instant espresso pwd OR instant coffee grandes mixed with a SMALL amount of boiling water
1-2 Tbs pure maple syrup (depending on your sweet tooth)
4 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup gluten free flour (I used garbanzo… Coconut or almond meal would work well here!) 1 tsp cinnamon1/4 cup cocoa pwd2 tsp baking powder 1 cup chocolate chips 

Process: Mix all of the wet ingredients with the flax seeds and espresso powder. Add The dry ingredients, mix well. Lastly, mix in the chocolate chips.  Use a spoon to drop a heaping Tablespoon of batter onto the pre-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 7-12 minutes. Please watchthem, as different ovens cook at different rates… Mine sure has a bad track record for being correct! 

Add ins that I’m thinking about for the future:
ChiaSeeds
Protein powder
Hemp Seeds

Enjoy!! Let me know if you tried anything fun with these cookies and how they turned out!! :) 

 ♥ E