Frozen Mint Chip Birthday Dessert

For the last 20 years, my mom has made a mint chocolate chip ice cream dessert for my birthday. It was adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens recipe I think. I really wanted to veganize it but I specifically didn't want it to taste like coconut. After several attempts at the sauce and multiple ice cream varieties, this version was a smashing success. And better yet, the chocolate sauce was edible off the spoon on its own. Yum. I didn't get great photos of it, it disappeared too quickly. Maybe next time...

Ingredients:

Crust-
Crushed chocolate wafers - 1 pkg (I used one package of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies and 1 package of Chocolate Graham Teddy's from Whole Foods)
1/2 cup vegan butter melted (I used Miyoko's cultured vegan butter)
1/4 cup sugar

Ice Cream- 
3 containers of NadaMoo Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Chocolate Sauce-
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used the semi sweet chocolate chips from the bulk bin at my local grocery store but any vegan variety would be fine. You could use Enjoy Life brand as well.)
1/3 cup vegan butter (Miyoko's cultured vegan butter)*
1 cup powdered sugar
2 - 2.5 cups oat or cashew milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt

* I tried several varieties including using Earth Balance but I found the flavor to be "off". Miyoko's was the best choice. 

Directions:
1. Heat the oat milk or cashew milk to a simmer. Let simmer slowly for 20 minutes or until reduced to 1 1/2 cups.  STIR FREQUENTLY.
2. While the milk is reducing, crush the chocolate cookies in a ziplock to crumbs.
3. Stir together crushed cookies, sugar, and melted butter.
4. Press the mixture into the bottom of 9x13 pan and set in freezer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Remove crust from freezer and tear open the cardboard containers of ice cream.
6. Lay the ice cream on it's side and slice into 1/2"-3/4" rounds.
7. Lay over crust filling in gaps as needed to completely cover.
8. Place back in the freezer.
9. To make the chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate chips and vegan butter in small sauce pan on low heat.
10. Add powered sugar and 1 1/2 cups of evaporated milk from above.
11. Cook and stir 20-25 minutes until slightly thickened.
12. Stir in vanilla.
13. Cool sauce completely.
14. Poor over ice cream layer and freeze until firm.

A-MAZ-ING.

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.

Newborn Fog

Yes, it is a thing. I am living in it. At least this time I saw it coming.

2 weeks of no driving after a c section and then 4 weeks of very limited activity. Add that to less sleep than would be desired, a new human to get to know, being in constant demand for nursing, a body that feels unlike the one you are used to, bleeding, soreness in all the wrong places, incisions, milk production, clothes that don't fit...

The days  and nights begin to all run together. Dirty diapers, feedings, burping... it doesn't matter if it is 2 pm or 2 am, the activities are the same.

And in the outside world, things continue on as they always have. Presidential debates continue, celebrities make the news for outlandish decisions, coworkers go to work, friends go to the bars or adult restaurants, life happens. Friends and family stop by to see the baby and then they leave to return to their day to day routines that include regular meals, sleeping for more than a few hours at a time, and reading books that don't rhyme and have animal characters that talk. 

And eventually, as a new mom, you step out of your house, blinking in the sun, feeling a little shocked at the first breath of fresh air. It all feels new, and different, even if it is exactly the same. It is so hard to believe that the last 2-3 months have left you behind, that the world kept turning even when it felt like yours was standing still. And slowly, you find your way again in this new normal. One day at a time.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Popcorn

This recipe is vegan and MSPI safe. Sometimes, you just need a treat.  In this case, we had a friend who generously spent a lot of time making us vegan, MSPI safe, freezer friendly meals to eat after our new baby was born. Well, he's here and her meals have been a life saver! Thanks Sam! We have a fun little policy at our house that we never return a container empty. In this case, what came to us as vegetable soup (soooo delicious) is returning in the form of peanut butter chocolate drizzle popcorn. Can I just say, "oh my!?" I made one batch and couldn't stay out of it so I had to make a second batch. Ha!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Popcorn

Makes 12 cups

1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 T Earth Balance
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
8 cups plain organic popped corn
3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips

In a saucepan, combine the honey, sugars, Earth Balance, and sea salt, and heat over medium until the mixture comes to a boil.  Add the peanut butter, and stir until combined.  Remove from heat, and add the vanilla, stirring.  Pour over the popcorn and gently mix.  Spread out onto a lined sheet pan, and allow to cool.

Melt the chocolate and drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn, and allow to cool and harden.

Break into small chunks and store in an airtight container.

Mulligatawny soup

We have been on an Indian food kick at our house, Vegetable Korma, Curry, Spiced Lentils, Hummus, Naan, and now Mulligatawny Soup.  

Typically Mulligatawny Soup is pretty spicy when you order it from a restaurant. This version was a little sweeter, although, you could certainly spice it up if you don't have little ones with sensitive palates. 

Mulligatawny soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Earth Balance Soy Free
• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
  
• 1 1/2 c baby carrots, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced or chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, chopped into small pieces
• 1 apple, peeled, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp vegan bouillon (Better than Bouillon or Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon )
• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp apricot jam or mango puree
• 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
• original hummus, for serving
• Cilantro to garnish (optional)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare vegetables. I used my small Ninja food processor to chop the onion, celery, carrots and sweet potato. The size of the vegetables isn't important as they will be pureed later, but they do cook faster if chopped smaller.
2. Melt Earth Balance and oil in a large saucepan and stir in the chopped veggies. Cook over  medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly until the vegetables soften and begin to brown. 
3. Stir in the diced apple and add curry powder. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes more. Stir and watch closely so as not to burn.
4. Stir in the bouillon, water, tomato purée and apricot jam or mango puree. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally . Cook until the vegetables are soft.
   
5. While the soup is simmering, cook the rice per instructions. Drain the rice and rinse under running water until cold.
   
6. When the soup is ready, carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth before stirring in the cooled rice. Be very careful as the soup is hot and can splatter. If you don't have an immersion blender and are using a food processor or a regular blender the soup MUST cool first or you will have an explosion.
   
7. Add water to achieve desired consistency. Heat the soup until hot and check the seasoning, add salt and black pepper to taste.
   
8. Serve the soup with a spoonful of hummus or vegan sour cream and sprinkled with cilantro.
   

Vegan and MSPI-safe Puppy Chow

Disclaimer: this is not healthy but it is darn good.

I didn't grow up eating rice cereal coated in peanut butter, chocolate and powdered sugar but this is something that my husband remembers having at the holidays.

In the past, I have made it traditionally with the real butter and milk or dark chocolate chips. This year with baby number three on the way and the MSPI diet underway, I modified it a bit. I made notes about the brands that I used but make sure to read labels!

Vegan/MSPI Puppy Chow

Ingredients
1/2 cup Soy Free Earth Balance
1/2 cup peanut butter creamy - I made my own peanut butter but you could use a "safe" store bought variety
1 cup MSPI chocolate - I used organic dark chocolate chunks that I bought in bulk at HyVee but Enjoy Life also makes chocolate that would work
6 cups Rice Chex - I used the HyVee brand
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Directions
In a small sauce pan on medium heat, combine the Earth Balance, peanut butter, and chocolate. Stir until melted and combined.

Add 6 cups Rice Chex cereal and gently stir until coated.

Pour 1 cup powdered sugar in the bottom of a large Tupperware container, add the cereal mixture, pour the second cup of powdered sugar on top and replace lid. Gently shake to distribute the powdered sugar.  Open the container and break apart any large clumps. Add more powdered sugar if necessary and shake one last time. Spread on wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container. 

Holiday Meal - MSPI and Plant Based

We ended up with a change of plans for Thanksgiving this year due to weather. Our little family stayed in town and went to a movie. It was the boys first movie experience and they didn't move a muscle during the movie but weren't all that eager to go again. (Bonus, since it is so much more expensive than I remembered.)

Anywho, I had planned on taking several side dishes to our family gathering before plans changed so I had some items in the fridge that I don't always keep on hand. This week, we had a belated plant based, holiday meal. It also had to be devoid of soy as I am now in the final stretch before this little baby arrives at our house. The 5 year old had requested Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes and I had fresh cranberries that needed to be used as well.

What we ended up with was a roasted vegetable medley with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. I also made a vegan gravy as well but the flavors were quite good without it.

Holiday Plate

Ingredients

 

Roasted Carrots

• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• black pepper, to taste

Roasted Broccoli

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• pinch salt
• 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

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

• 3 pounds Yukon Gold or Red potatoes, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces and peeled if desired
• 1 cup vegetable stock (check ingredient list for soy)
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance - soy free, cut into small cubes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup plain hummus
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or oat milk, warmed

Vegan Gravy

• 1 tbsp Earth Balance (or olive oil)
• 2 tbsp flour
• ¼ tsp each of onion powder, thyme, and oregano
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• Powdered vegan no-beef bouillon to taste

Cranberry Sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• the juice of 2-3 oranges
• 12-ounces fresh cranberrie
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Instructions

 

Slow cooker mashed potatoes

1. Early in the day, add potatoes and stock to the bowl of a slow cooker, and place butter cubes and minced garlic on top. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours, or until the potatoes are cooked and soft.
2. Just prior to the meal, while the veggies are roasting, use a potato masher or an electric mixer to mash the potatoes to your desired consistency.  Stir in the hummus, salt, and black pepper.  And add your desired amount of warm milk, until the potatoes reach your desired level of creaminess.  Stir in any other add-ins if desired.

Roasted Veggies

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix carrots with olive oil, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Spread the carrots on your baking sheet.
2. Mix halved Brussels sprouts in the same mixing bowl with brown sugar, olive oil, salt and pepper, and spread them out on the same baking sheet. 
3. Mix the broccoli with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread the broccoli on the baking sheet as well. Bake for 15-20 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time give everything a good stir to evenly roast. 

Cranberry Sauce

1. Bring sugar, water and orange juice to a boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add cranberries and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, until sauce thickens.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Vegan Gravy

1. In a small saucepan heat Earth Balance or olive oil over medium to low heat. 
2. Begin to whisk in the flour, salt, thyme, and oregano, and mix well. 
3. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute before slowly whisking in the broth. 
4. Add bouillon and stir. 
5. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick, adjusting the consistency with extra broth as needed.