Wheat Berry Salad with Orange Curry Dressing

Patrick came home one day a month or so ago with a bit of leftover salad. It was so good that one of his coworkers helped me hunt down the general ingredient list. (Thanks Ginny!)

This wheat berry salad is a bit different than its inspiration. I used dried apricots instead of dried cranberries and it is a bit spicier although, this would be remedied with less curry powder.
We really liked it. Obviously, this is not for the gluten free group but it is dairy and soy free.

Wheat Berry Salad with Orange Curry Dressing 
 
For the salad -
1 cup wheat berries
1 cup brown rice
2 cups chopped kale
5 green onions chopped
1/3 cup cashew pieces
1 small can (7 oz) crushed pineapple drained
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots (could substitute dried cranberries or raisins)

For the dressing -
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1/2 cup orange or mango marmalade
2 T fennel seeds
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 T curry powder (scant)
1/2 t salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions -
1. Cook the wheat berries and the brown rice per package instructions using vegetable broth instead of water.
2. Allow wheat berries and rice to cool.
3. While the first two ingredients are cooling, chop kale, green onions and apricots.
4. Add all salad ingredients to large bowl.
5. To make the dressing, add all dressing ingredients to a small food brocessor or blender (I used my small Ninja Express) and blend until smooth.
6. Pour dressing over salad and mix well.
7. This salad is best to let sit in the fridge for a few hours to let flavors mix.
8. Serve on a bed of greens. 

Curry Bowls with Rice Noodles

I found this recipe on A Pinch of Yum's website. Check out this site for lots of great recipes. As usual, I made some modifications to it but Patrick and I enjoyed it. I found that prepping the vegetables earlier in the day or the night before and storing them in the fridge was a great way to save a bit of time later on when everyone was hungry and cranky.

Curry Bowls with Rice Noodles

Ingredients

For the Curry Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or broth
• 2 green onions
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 14-ounce can lite coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon hot chili paste (sambal oelek)
• 4 tablespoons coconut aminos (could also use liquid aminos or soy sauce)

For the Bowls:

• 4 ounces brown rice noodles
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• half a sweet onion OR red onion chopped
• 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 red pepper diced into medium sized chunks
• 1 cup chopped asparagus
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• sesame seeds for topping
• limes for serving
• a handful of fresh basil for serving

Instructions

1. Soak the noodles in a bowl of very cold water for at least 20 minutes. When soft, drain and rinse.
2. For the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan. 
3. Add the green onions and ginger; stir fry for 5 minutes. 
4. Add the curry paste; stir fry for 1 minute. 
5. Add the coconut milk, sugar, chili paste, coconut aminos and simmer for 15 minutes - it should thicken a bit.
6. For the veggies, in a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. 
7. Add the onion, carrots, broccoli, and asparagus. (I usually have these chopped and ready to go so that all I have to do is dump them in.) Stir fry until the broccoli and asparagus are bright green. 
8. Add the cabbage and cook for 1 more minute.
9. Add the softened noodles to the saucepan with the sauce and gently mix. 
10. Add the veggies and toss together until just combined.
11. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and basil and a squeeze of lime.

Chocolate Mixed Berry Oat Bars

3 year old approved

I came across a version of this recipe at Texanerin Baking's blog. Go check out her original and peak around at some of her other recipes! I made some of my own modifications but otherwise I liked what she created. This is my version of Texanerin's bars.
 

Chocolate, Mixed Berry, Oat Bars

 Ingredients

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup soft (but not liquid) refined coconut oil 
• 1/3 cup soy free Earth Balance Spread
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries
• 1/3 cup mixed berry jam (or any berry flavor that you happen to have on hand)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Line an 8"x8" square baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375°F. 
2. Stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
3. Cut in the coconut oil and mix until the dough just comes together.
4. Gently press two thirds of it onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
5. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the edges just start to brown.
6. While baking, prepare the berry filling. In a small sauce pan, stir together the berries and jam. Heat through until it is mashed with a fork.
7. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
8. Spread this mixture over the baked crust and then sprinkle about 1/2 of the chocolate chips over the berry layer.
9. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate chips.
10. Bake for another 25-28 minutes or until the top has lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.
11. Remove from the oven and top with the rest of the chocolate chips.
12. Let the bars cool completely in the pan and then refrigerate at least 3 hours before cutting.
    
    
    
    
    
    

Grilled "Sausage" and Veggie Sandwich

I was using up leftovers and vegetable on their "last legs" in my fridge for lunch today and it turned out quite good.

We had green pancakes, VeganEgg, and vegan sausages for dinner last night. There were several sausage links left that Patrick crumbled in a wrap and I used one for this sandwich. I also roasted a few veggies late morning to use them before they went bad.

Roasted Veggie and Hummus Sandwich

Ingredients
- 2 slices good whole wheat bread or sandwich bread of choice
- 2 tablespoon of roasted red pepper hummus
- 1 teaspoon Earth Balance soy free spread
- Roasted Brussels sprouts, celery, broccoli, carrots, and red onion (see specifics below)
  - salt and pepper
  - olive oil or vegetable broth
  - brown sugar
  - garlic powder
- 1 slice vegan cheese
- two slices of tomato
- 1 vegan sausage link

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop veggies and arrange on baking sheet sprinkling with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and brown sugar for Brussels Sprouts.

Roasted Carrots, Celery, Red Onion and Broccoli

• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 cup broccoli florettes
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 red onion 
• 1 tsp olive oil or veggie broth (or to taste)
• pinch of salt
• garlic powder
• black pepper, to taste

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 1½ cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• pinch salt
• black pepper, to taste

3. Roast vegetables for 20 minutes (or to liking) stirring once halfway through.
4. Cook vegan sausage link according to instructions or reheat if leftover.
5. When vegetables are nearing completion, spread Earth Balance on one side of each slice of bread.
6. With the buttered side down, place one slice of vegan cheese on one slice of bread and spread hummus on the other slice. (Note the Earth Balance is used on the toasting side.)
6. Place desired amount of roasted veggies on the sandwich on top of the cheese.
7. Slice sausage link the long way for a flat surface and add both pieces to the sandwich.
8. Add sliced tomato and press two slices together to form sandwich.
9. On a lightly oiled, preheated skillet, cook the sandwich for 2 minutes or so on medium. Watch the bottom so as not to burn. Flip when adequately toasted. Toast on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tomato Peanut Curry Soup aka How NOT to Use Your Blender

Anyone who has a Vitamix, or other blender that they use regularly, knows that you don't blend hot soup or liquid. Why you ask? Because explosions occur. Cooling off the substance to be blended is key. Leaving the lid partially off the blender and covering that bit with a tea towel would work but did I listen to my own advice? No, of course not. Due to this, I created a curry covered cupboard. Lovely. Luckily, it cleaned up quickly. I also managed to cover myself in it. Thankfully, it wasn't so hot it burned. Whoops.

Anywho, this is delicious. I had a Tomato Peanut Curry Soup at a restaurant in Lincoln called Bread and Cup just before we moved. My mom watched the boys for a couple of hours and Patrick and I went on a lunch date for our anniversary! It was lovely, and so was the soup. I wanted to recreate something like it. Their version was definitely better but maybe it was just because I didn't end up wearing that particular meal... question mark? I highly recommend that you visit that restaurant if you are in the area. It is owned by a local couple who lived down the street from us and they source everything they can at the Farmer's Markets. The menu changes with the season and it was quite good. They didn't have many vegan options. Everything was very meat and egg heavy but vegan isn't their goal and with a little scouring of the menu I was able to find a plantcentric meal.

Yes that is a plastic spoon. Don't judge. The moving truck with the other half of our belongings has not yet arrived.

Tomato Peanut Curry Soup

(Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or garlic powder)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt

1 15 -ounce can fire roasted tomatoes

3 T tomato paste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter (I used my homemade variety because it was what I had)
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts, for topping

Directions

Chop veggies into similar size pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; cook, stirring, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, spices and 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and cook, stirring, 3 more minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, brown sugar and 1 cup water to the pot, then stir in peanut butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on med low. Stir occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly, about 20-30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender (ideally) or in a regular blender in batches. If using a regular blender make sure that the soup is very cool. Trust me on this one. Season with salt and black pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls; top with cilantro and peanuts. 

Can I just say....

"Yay for soup!"?

And...

Thank you to Betsy and Pam for the use of some odds and ends kitchen equipment while I await the arrival of my own. The cutting board, knife, and pot/lid were integral in this meal. :)

Noodle Soup

I have always loved a good, homemade chicken noodle soup but I ALWAYS left all the chicken in the bottom of the bowl. (Sorry about that mom.) This recipe hits the spot and maintains a great flavor. Yum. My mom and I tossed around the idea of exchanging the pasta for wild rice and maybe adding mushrooms but I suppose then it would be mushroom and wild rice soup. Another soup for another day.

Not-Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 10 large long celery stalks (you will need 3 cups sliced)
• 3 cups sliced or chopped carrots
• 3/4 to 1large white or yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 heaping cup)
• 2-3 large garlic cloves, finely minced (about a tablespoon)
• 2½ cups diced potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 10 cups water
• 3 vegan bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel brand with sea salt.)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast to taste
• 1 cup rotini noodles

Instructions

1. Chop all veggies.
2. Add the water to a large pot and bring to a boil, add the bouillon cubes and whisk to dissolve. Add all of the veggies and seasonings including thyme, salt, and nutritional yeast. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn to low heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
3. Add the pasta and bring back to a boil. Leave the lid off and turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the pasta is al dente. 
4. Remove from heat. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and black pepper.

A Very Happy Party

July 2014

Aug 2013

 

 

Today is my littlest one's first birthday. We made it to one. Phew. He is wonderful. He adores his big brother, wants to be on the move always, still has the cutest toothless grin, sucks the third and fourth fingers of his right hand, and LOVES to eat. He has a short fuse, loves to cuddle with his momma and carries his little cream colored lamb everywhere. We decided to have a quiet little get together for his birthday, well, as quiet as it can be with a very excited three year old and a tired, 12 month old, birthday boy. We had blue and white and green table settings and a sweet little lamb cake that I made for him.

I found a tutorial for a Fluffy Lamb Cake at Handmade Charlotte. The cake was a guest post from Lyndsay at Coco Cake Land. Check out both of their blogs for cute cakes and DIY projects. I made some adaptations to this cake. For one, both the cake and frosting are vegan and turned out great! Also, I chose to tone down the amount of icing on the cake with less piping as my kids are small and less sugar is always good. 

 

Lamby Cake

 

Dairy Free Vanilla Birthday Cake 

with Coconut Oil Vanilla "Buttercream" Frosting

 

For the Cake:

 

Ingredients

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ cups cold water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together water, oil, vanilla, and lemon juice.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry and combine with whisk. Do not overmix.
6. Immediately pour into prepared pans and place into the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the Frosting (made enough to frost the entire cake as well as pipe with some leftover)

Ingredients

• 6 cups confectioner's sugar 
• 2/3 cup refined coconut oil  - solid form 
• 5 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Spread (I used whipped)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 6 teaspoons vanilla unsweetended almond milk(or any non-dairy milk)

Directions

1.  Whip the coconut oil and Earth Balance until it forms peaks. 
2.  Slowly pour in sugar and beat until creamy. Repeat.
3.  Add milk a teaspoon at a time to desired consistency.
4.  Add vanilla extract and whip.

To make the Lamb

1. Bake your cakes accord­ing to the recipe instruc­tions. Let cakes cool com­pletely on wire racks in their pans.
2. Make your but­ter­cream accord­ing to recipe instruc­tions.
3. Place a dollop of but­ter­cream on a cake plate to hold the cake to the plate.
4. Remove one of the cake layers from the cake pan. Use a ser­rated knife to slice the top of your cake so the top is level.
5. Place the cake cut-side-up on the cake plate.
6. Using an off­set spat­ula or but­ter knife, spread an equal layer of but­ter­cream on top.
7. Remove the sec­ond cake layer from your cake pan. Level the second cake layer as you did with the first layer. Place the sec­ond cake layer cut-side-down onto the first frosted layer. 
8. Frost­ the top and sides of the cake.
9. Gently use your bench scraper against the side of the cake to scrape all the way around to smooth out the frost­ing.
10. Use a pip­ing bag and a star tip with a cou­pler and plastic ring, pipe little rosette dabs around the outside edge of the cake.
11. Fill in the top third with more dabs of piped frosting.

To make the ears

Shape two pieces of white fon­dant into ears. I tinted a little bit of white fondant into pink with the all natural red food coloring and kneaded it in until it was evenly distributed. I found that it took a little more coloring than typical food dyes. Out of the pink fondant, make two small tri­an­gles to put in the middle of the ears. Stick them on with a drop of water. Place each ear onto a toothpick. Gen­tly push the other end of the toothpick into the sides of the cake for his sweet little ears.

To make the nose and mouth

Use the pink fon­dant to make a lit­tle tri­an­gle and then rolled a small piece of fondant between my hands and shaped. Place on top of the cake and gently press down.

  

To make the eyes

Tint a little bit of white fondant into blue with the all natural food coloring and kneaded it in until evenly distributed. Roll in between your hands, as you did with the mouth, until it is even. Shape it into lines for the eyes. Place on top of the cake and gently press down.

Homemade Dairy-free, Soy Free Nutella

 

Dairy-Free, Soy-Free Nutella. Nice. This means gluten-free and MSPI safe. Whoo hoo! It does not, however, mean sugar free or healthy. I suppose everyone has those moments. I used to love Nutella. I stopped buying it when I started on the MSPI diet and then when we continued with the dairy free eating, Nutella was crossed off of the list. Until now...

Homemade Nutella

 

Ingredients

2 cups hazelnuts, roasted and peeled
2 tbsp good quality cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar or coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbsp coconut oil melted
Dash Himalayan sea salt

1 cup good quality dark chocolate

1 1/2 tbsp raw honey

 

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch them closely so they don't burn.
3. Remove from the oven and place into a dish towel. Rub them together until the brown skin starts to come off.
4. Once mostly removed, place the hazelnuts in the food processor (I used my vitamix) and process until it becomes a smooth butter

5. Add in oil, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, and salt
7. Blend for another 2-3 minutes until smooth
8. Melt chocolate on the stove or in the microwave; pour into the food processor, along with the honey, and blend until smooth
9. Store in an air-tight container for a week or two. I prefer to keep mine in the cupboard at room temp.

YUM.

Bacon Flavored Coconut - Vegan alternative

 I don't miss meat. I don't even miss cheese, which was a surprise. I do, however, miss BLTs. Especially in the summer with a big piece of juicy watermelon and an ear of locally grown corn. Yum. I have been trying out some bacon alternatives to see if there is something that will make for a great sandwich. Last year I tried a marinaded tempeh which I thought was pretty good. My husband choked it down with a fake smile, gritted teeth,  and no complaints, but it was clearly not a favorite of his. Last week I thought maybe roasted mushrooms in a marinade would work well. However, between the dog and two small boys I got distracted and they burned. Laughably, this probably made them taste quite similar to the turkey bacon we used to eat because I inevitable burned that each time as well. So... last night I tried coconut flakes. There are some recipes out there using coconut flakes to mimic bacon in recipes. I liked the combination of seasonings I had used for the mushrooms so I based mine on that. They turned out great. Obviously, the goal is not a bacon replica. It is to find a substitute that has some similar characteristics (touch of hickory, salty, and a little crunch). They worked well on the sandwich, with the exception of not staying put as well as a longer piece of bacon and I ate them on a salad the next day for lunch and they were even better. I am seeing them turning up in soups and salads in the future. Yum. 

 

Coconut "Bacon"

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
• 4 tablespoon Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
• 4 cups large flaked coconut

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3.  Pour in flaked coconut.
4. Stir or toss to coat the coconut in the liquid mixture. 
5. Once the coconut is evenly coated, pour it onto a parchment lined baking sheet 
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes so it cooks evenly. It WILL burn if you’re not careful, so make sure to stir!
7. For storage, place in glass storage container with lid and refrigerate.  

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Bars

These Oatmeal Raisin Bars turned out so well that they are definitely worth sharing.  A great treat for a potluck, an after school snack, or a picnic. Yum. I discovered, as well, that people don't even know they are vegan. Now, that is the ultimate compliment on a baked good.

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars
Yields 12 servings

Ingredients:
for the bars
 1 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder + 2 teaspoons (divided)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted Earth Balance
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon sunflower sunflower seed oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins

for the glaze
confectioners sugar
Vanilla Almond Milk
Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance or Coconut Oil

Directions:

For the bars:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Line an 8 inch X 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper so that it overlaps the sides and set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl stir together the oats, flour, baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder and salt.
3. In a small bowl mix the  2 Tablespoons water, 1 Tablespoon sunflower sunflower seed oil, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder and let sit.
4. In a large mixing bowl (or standing mixer) cream the Earth Balance and 1/4 cup coconut oil for about 3 minutes on medium speed.  Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about another 3 minutes.
5. Add the sunflower seed oil mixture and vanilla and beat, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure it is completely combined.
6. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined.  Stir in the raisins.
7. Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are brown and the middle is light  brown and set.  A toothpick will not come out clean from these bars as they will still be a bit moist in the middle.
8. Let cool completely. (This was the hardest part.)

For the glaze: 
1. Place the Earth Balance (or coconut oil) and about 1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar in a bowl.  Using a hand mixer, mix a bit and then pour in almond milk 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired drizzling consistency is reached. You may need to add a bit more confectioners sugar, it's ok to play with the proportions.
2. Remove the bars from the pan to a cutting board.  Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the top and let sit until glaze has crusted over.
3.  Cut into bars and serve.

Dairy free "sour cream"

This nut based "cream" sauce mimics sour cream quite well. I serve it with tacos, soups, as the base for dips, in wraps and burritos and anywhere else sour cream is called for. The trick is to plan ahead in order to allow time to soak the cashews as well as to use a good blender to get the creamy consistency. Neglecting either of these will still give you a good tasting condiment but will most likely result in a different texture.

Dairy Free "Sour Cream"

Ingredients

1 cup cashews (presoaked for at least 4 hours)

Juice of one lemon

1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt or to taste

1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Process cashews, lemon juice and salt until well combined.

2. Add water little by little and process until desired consistency.

3. Continue to blend until lite and fluffy.

Strawberry Chia Energy Bars

I could use some convection over tips. Do you prop the door of the oven open? Or close it so the convection fan kicks on?  I ended up using a combination of the two. I couldn't find any instructions on this anywhere. The thought was that with the door open, the moisture could escape and the temperature could be a bit lower so as to be more like a dehydrator. Isn't that what the fan on the convection oven is for? Who knows, anywho, this open/closed method seemed to work well for me. I am going to try another flavor this weekend, more of a Hawaiian coconut, pineapple. Yum!

Just some of the delicious reasons for using some of the ingredients in this snack...

Pumpkin seeds have lots of antioxidants, vitamin E, phosphorus, copper, zinc, iron, and magnesium.  The oils in these little guys may even help to regulate insulin. (Very preliminary but so cool.) They also have antiviral, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties. Can't beat that.

Sunflower seeds are packed with vitamins E and B1 as well as copper. Vitamin E helps protect your cells against free radicals, chemicals that oxidize and damage your proteins, cell membranes and DNA. This vitamin also promotes healthy circulation by helping you make red blood cells. An ounce of hulled sunflower seeds contains 10 milligrams of vitamin E! That is two-thirds of your recommended daily intake of the nutrient.

Sesame seeds also have loads of zinc which decreases the risk for osteoporosis, phytoserols that may enhance the immune response, sesamin which provides liver protection, as well as copper, anti-inflammatory, and anti oxidants.

Chia seeds are a hot topic right now. These odd little seeds are full of fiber, calcium, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Another great thing about chia seeds is their ability to absorb up to 12x their weight. This means that once ingested, they can draw out toxins in your body. Pretty cool, huh?

Flax seeds also contain Omega-3s. I have been hearing about a study (yes that is a link to Yahoo news but the actually article from Neurology is cited at the bottom of the link) where Omega-3 fatty acids were shown to possibly reduce age related brain shrinkage, especially in women. Shoot, I am all for that. Flax seeds are antioxidant power houses with ounce for ounce, more antioxidants than blueberries. This has been correlated to a reduction in insulin resistance.

As my mom said, when I told her about the above health benefits, "Whew! That is lots of good health." Ha. 

So try these out and be on the look out for the next variety. I already have several more ideas.

Strawberry Chia Energy Bars 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Fresh Strawberries, topped and hulled
• 19 Medjool Dates, pitted (about 2 cups)
• ¼  cup Pumpkin Seeds
• ¼  cup Sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup Flax Seeds
• ½ cup Sesame Seeds
• ⅛ cup Chia Seeds
• Sea Salt, optional to taste

Instructions

1. Place strawberries and dates in the food processor. Pulse into a slightly chunky mixture, not completely smooth.
2. Pour fruit puree into a bowl and using a wooden spoon, gently mix in all remaining ingredients. Salt to taste.
3. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The mixture should be about ⅛” thick.
4. Place in convection oven at 170 deg F for about 6 hours. (This was the lowest my oven would go.) 
5. After about 4-5 hours, when the top is no longer sticky to the touch and the bottom can easily peel off the parchment, flip the mixture over so the top is now the bottom. This will help evenly dehydrate both sides. I found the best way to do this was to place a new piece of parchment on top of the bars and flip the whole thing. I then peeled the old layer of paper off the top.
6. The bars are done when they have a fruit leather texture, not completely crispy.
7. Cut into bars using a pizza cutter.
8. Can be stored 6 months – 9 months in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Chipotle Black Bean Quinoa Soup

I had a request for a new main dish post. This was not difficult as I make something for dinner each night. Last night was no exception and so I present a Collins' creation...

Chipotle Black Bean Quinoa Soup

15 -  3/4 cup servings

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion - peeled and diced
2 large red peppers - seeded and diced
3 cloves of garlic - minced
1 teaspoon chipotle seasoning (or use a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce if you don't have small children)
1 cup orange juice
4 cups + 1 cup vegan vegetable broth
1 cube vegan vegetable bouillon cube
zest of one orange (important)
4 cups cooked black beans or two 15 oz cans , drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked quinoa
1.5 Tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place onion and peppers in a large sauce pan and saute over medium heat for 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water at a time to keep the veggies from sticking.
2. Add garlic and chipotle spice or pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Add the orange juice and zest, beans and 4 cups vegetable broth, and stock cube.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes or until heated through.
6. Add 2 cups cooked quinoa and 1 cup vegetable broth and cook for 5-10 minutes more or until heated through.
7. Add oregano, coriander, and more chipotle seasoning and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The secret here is two fold; 1. do not omit the orange zest. 2. Add the herbs and spices at the end. If you add them at the beginning, the flavors will cook out and you will end up with a bland bowl of soup. Trust me. 

This was quite good with a crusty bread. I found a sugar free, vegan ciabatta baguette at Trader Joe's. I don't eat much bread but a taste with this soup was quite good.

Chocolate Ganache Mousse Cake

This recipe was adapted from Dr. Anastasia Halldin. Click here to get the original recipe. I substituted out some of the maple syrup for raw honey in the crust and changed the proportions slightly. It is not overly sweet but the rich taste of chocolate is quite satisfying. Yum.

Chocolate Ganache Mousse Cake
Ingredients

Crust
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1.5 cups Almond Meal (I used finely ground Bob's Redmill.)
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 Tablespoons Raw Honey
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Filling
2.5 cups Raw Cashews (presoak for at least 4 hours, drain and rinse and discard the water)
1/3 cup Pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons Raw Honey
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon Sea salt
juice of 1/2 small Lemon
1/2 cup Coconut oil
1/4 cup Almond milk

Ganache:
1/4 cup Coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
4 tablespoons Pure maple syrup
Pinch of Himalayan Sea Salt

Directions
1. Mix all the crust ingredients to combine. Press into a small cheesecake form and distribute it evenly with your hands or spatula.
2. Blend all filling ingredients until very smooth. Pour the filling over the crust.
3. Freeze the cake for an hour.
4. In a small, heat-proof, metal bowl, combine the ganache ingredients. Place the bowl in a double boiler or over a small saucepan of simmering water. Whisk the bowl's contents until the oil is melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy. Pour the ganache over the cake.
5. Sprinkle with a pinch of Himalayan Sea Salt
6. Place in freezer to set.
7. Remove cake from the freezer one hour prior to serving.
8. Store the leftovers in the freezer.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars

Yep, another granola bar recipe. I've been trying to find a long run food. I don't need to eat anything under 3 hours but after that I need to start taking in some calories. I don't do gels, or blocks, or processed bars (unless it's a dire bonking emergency). I am not interested in the extra ingredients, the GMOs, or the sugar. My body just isn't used to it and if I started in on sugar, I would have to keep putting it in to keep from crashing. In the past I have used the small packages of Justin's Nut Butters which work pretty well so long as they are washed down but I also need some quick burning carbs. I am looking forward to freezing these and them pulling them out as my runs get longer and the mornings get warmer.

Another perk is that the rest of my family likes them too. Win/Win.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars
Ingredients:
½ c. chopped walnuts
2 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. raisins
½ c. homemade peanut butter (or store bought variety of your choice)
2/3 c. honey (could substitute brown sugar or agave if you don't use honey)
¼ c. coconut oil (measured in liquid form)
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
Pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread oats on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes until fragrant.
3. Transfer toasted oats to a bowl and mix in the walnuts and raisins.  Set aside.
4. In saucepan combine honey, peanut butter, coconut oil, spices and salt over medium heat until thoroughly mixed.
5. Pour hot mixture over the oats, walnuts and raisins until evenly mixed.
6. Immediately pour into a glass baking dish to set up.
7. Allow to cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a quicker setup.
8. When cool, cut into bars.

 

I considered adding some flax seeds to these but didn't want the extra fiber during my workouts. Ha. I think next time I may consider some hemp seeds for extra protein though. 

Raw Brownie Truffles

2 weeks of no processed sugars and I feel awesome. Hello, why do I not eat this way all the time? So dumb. 

Anywho, everyone still needs to have a little treat now and then, right? My husband and 3 year old taste tested these for me. The three year old was not sold due to the crunchiness but my husband seemed to think they were good. They have not, however, been disappearing from our fridge the way other sweet treats do and so I think he may have been humoring me. That said, more for me! I LOVE these. Something about the chocolately goodness with the crunchy nuts and the coconut makes them delicious. I thought they might be good frozen too but I found that I prefer them just cold from the fridge or at room temperature. When they are frozen you lose some of the chocolate flavor as well as the whole thing is more crunchy so out the window goes the fantastic texture combination. Whatever your preference, if you are a chocolate lover these should go on your "Recipes to Try" list. I am going to make a bunch for my long runs as I think they would be great on the trails.

Brownie Truffles

 makes approximately 30 truffles 

Ingredients

• 1 cup cacao beans
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/3-1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt
• 1 Tbls raw honey or agave (or to taste)
• 8 Medjool dates without pits 

Extras 

• cacao powder
• unsweetened fine coconut  
   

Directions

1. Place everything in you food processor except the dates and combine until crushed. (It will be chunky.)
2. Check the consistency. If too crumbly add a bit more coconut oil and pulse to combine.
3. When all your ingredients are crushed and the desired consistency, add the dates and keep blending.
4. Make sure the dates are mashed thoroughly. You should have a sticky paste like "dough".
5. Roll the paste into small balls with your clean hands.
6. Roll them in fine unsweetened coconut or cacao powder to lightly coat.
7. Place in the fridge for at least 30 min.

No Bake Sticky Granola Bars

E has been into "honey bars". This would be the oats and honey variety of granola bars we picked up at Open Harvest last weekend.  I hadn't been in there but it was great. A local cooperative grocery that I plan on going back to. The bars he choose were a pretty traditional crunchy oats and honey bar with flax seeds. The ones we made to match them are more on the chewy side. Both are really good and plant based. (We use local raw honey at our house. You could try substituting agave or maple syrup but I can't say as to how well they would work or what they would taste like.)

No Bake Sticky Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cups roasted flax seed
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used my homemade version)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2-3/4 cup raw (or regular) honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (measure in liquid form)
• 1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½- 1 cup mini dairy free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)
 

 

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine your oats, rice cereal, and flax seed. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
2. Place sugar, honey, coconut oil, and sea salt in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly. Boil for exactly 1 minute so mixture combines and sugars dissolve. Take pan off the heat and add in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Pour over the oat/rice cereal mixture. Stir until well combined.
3. Let this mixture sit for several minutes. 
4. Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper cut to size.
5. Pour out granola bar mixture into pan. Press with spatula. Then immediately spread your chocolate chips on the top and press again.
6. Allow to cool in fridge or on counter. Once the bars have cooled completely, lift out of the pan. Cut the bars into the size of your choosing.
7. These freeze well individually by wrapping in plastic and placing in freezer safe bag or container.  

A day in the MSPI life

As I have stated before, the first time I eliminated dairy and soy from my diet I was overwhelmed. This time, as I have had time to think about it and be a bit more methodical it has been really no problem at all. As I have also said before, I am eliminating ALL dairy and ALL soy including soybean oil and soy lecithin to start with. This will make it a bit easier for anyone else who is looking for recipes to follow. Unfortunately, you still have to check ingredient lists as products do occasionally change.

I thought I might just document what one MSPI mom eats in a day. The options really are a bit more broad than one might think. I suppose it also depends on whether or not you eat meat, or wheat, or eggs but those are all to be included here. The ingredients that we avoid other than dairy and soy include ALL food dyes and as many preservatives as possible. I am 37+ weeks pregnant now so I don't yet have a newborn. I am also feeding a hungry husband and toddler and they do eat dairy and soy.


First Breakfast
- half a banana
- 1/2 Tablespoon Jif Creamy Natural Peanut Butter (Peanuts, Sugar, Palm Oil, Contains 2% or less of: salt, molasses)

Second Breakfast
- one piece of Trader Joe's sprouted wheat bread toasted
- 2 egg whites
- one piece of sliced ham (organic slices from Natural Grocers - check ingredient lists)
- one slice of GO Veggie American "cheese" (Organic Rice Base (Filtered water, Organic Rice Flour), Potato Maltodextrin , Rice Bran Oil, Pea Protein, Rice Maltodextrin, Calcium  & Sodium Phosphates, Contains 2% or less of Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Mono  & Diglycerides, Natural Flavors, Lactic Acid (non-dairy), Apocarotenal (Color), Beta-Carotene)
- Trader Joe's ketchup (Organic Tomato Puree, Organic Sugar, Organic White Vinegar, Salt, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Spices)

Lunch
- Homemade salad with spinach and romaine lettuce,  black beans, corn, quinoa (I always have cooked quinoa or couscous in the fridge ready to go), tomatoes, and homemade Balsamic Vinegar Dressing (click on link for recipe) from a recipe I got from a coworker. It is the only dressing I ever use even when I am not adhering to the MSPI "laws".
- apple

Snack
- grapes
- Trader Joe's Honey Whole Wheat Pretzel Sticks (enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), honey, whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, palm oil, ammonium bicarbonate, malted barley flour, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), yeast)

Dinner
- Tomato Vegetable Soup
- Corn on the Cob
- Cantaloupe and blueberries
-two pieces Trader Joe's Salt Water Taffy (Corn syrup, cane sugar, organic extra virgin coconut oil (expeller pressed), natural flavors (strawberry, sour apple, red licorice, watermelon, banana cream, wild cherry), egg whites, malic acid, salt, colored with vegetable extracts (red radish, red cabbage, tumeric)
- multivitamin

Snack
-Outshine Popsicle - Cherry (water, cherry juice from concentrate, sugar, cherry puree, citric acid, beet juice color, natural flavors, guar gum, vegetable juice (for color), ascorbic acid (vitamin c), carob bean gum, tumeric color extract)

MSPI Tomato Vegetable Soup

I found this recipe on Jujugoodnews.com.

 With a few simple modifications, it was MSPI friendly. You have to be pretty cautious of bouillon as it often contains dairy and/or soy. I found this brand at several of the natural grocery stores in town as well as on Amazon. It is a little pricy but I have used it several times with good success.

Delicious Tomato Vegetable Soup (adapted from Jujugoodnews.com)

Ingredients
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce (Hunt's brand is MSPI safe)
5 cups water
1 cubes vegetable bouillon (Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Herbs is the brand I used)
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning - Hyvee Brand
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce (I used Trader Joe's Chili Pepper Sauce - chili peppers, distilled vinegar, sugar, spices, xanthan gum. They recently added that this is made on shared equipment with wheat, eggs, soy & fish. I used it anyway as I put just a splash in and the ingredients weren't dairy or soy directly.)
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup uncooked Trader Joe's Orecchiette pasta

Directions
In a large pot, mix the tomato sauce, water, vegetable bouillon, bay leaf, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, sugar, salt, pepper, and hot red pepper sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer at least 30 minutes.
Stir in the celery, carrots, zucchini, and corn. Cover, and continue to simmer 30 minutes.
Stir pasta into the pot, and continue cooking 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.

We liked this. I am not sure it even needs the pasta and I might consider adding mushrooms and maybe using my immersion blender a bit next time. YUM! Ate half and put the rest in the freezer for a more tired evening. 

MSPI Safe Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing

Homemade Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing

I got this recipe from a coworker about a year ago. I made a few adaptations but it is the only dressing I eat now. Super easy and delicious. I always have these ingredients on hand too which makes it convenient.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

-1 part Balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup) to 2 parts oil (1/2 cup)

-1-2 T of honey

-1 T of Dijon mustard (double check ingredients list for MSPI safe brands. I use Trader Joe's)

-1 tsp of garlic salt

-pepper to taste

Mix everything together except the oil.  

Gradually add oil by whisking.  

The Dijon mustard is the key to emulsification, if the oil and the other parts are not combining well, add more mustard, but be careful because it can definitely take over in taste.  

Enjoy!